Atheists on Jury Duty in Alabma

[David Cruz]

Dear Carol Moore,

I would encourage you to contact the Alabama ACLU affiliate.  http://www.aclualabama.org/ContactUs/ContactUs.htm

David B. Cruz
Professor of Law
University of Southern California Gould School of Law
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0071
U.S.A.

-----Original Message-----
From: CAROL MOORE <alclegal at bellsouth.net>
Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 3:28 PM
To: religionlaw at lists.ucla.edu <religionlaw at lists.ucla.edu>
Subject: Atheists on Jury Duty in Alabma



I have been rejected as a juror, just this week, after having been selected
and seated because, when I approached the Circuit Court Judge about my
inability to say the oath with "so help me god" at the end of it, he asked
the prosecutor and defense attorney to vote on it (and this is after opening
arguments, mind you).  I stated my willingness to serve and to talk an
alternative oath.  The defense attorney refused, saying he could not have a
juror who did not believe in god (the case was drunk & disorderly, resisting
arrest).  I was removed (which, if one is actually looking for way to duck
jury duty, this one was easy).  My question to you all, besides being an
obvious violation the US Constitution, is this worth pursuing?  
Carol Moore, list reader  

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