A Good Turn

My fellow jurors and I reported to Judge Veal's courtroom at 10:30 a.m. this morning as ordered. After waiting in the hallway for a while we were called into the courtroom. Judge Veal quickly informed us the case had been "disposed" and there would be no trial and we were released from jury service. We all broke out into applause.

The defendant, now handcuffed to a chair, looked forlorn. Too late to take back that plea bargain, I imagine.

On the way downtown I got pulled over -- again -- by a Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff. This time for "improperly executing a U-turn." It's perfectly legal to make a U-Turn at the intersection of San Vicente and Santa Monica Boulevards. The Deputy Sheriff claimed I "pulled too far out into the intersection." He said to make a U-Turn you're just supposed to edge barely past the limit line and you should only pull out as far as I did if you're making a left turn.

I always pull well into the intersection to 1) make others aware that I'm turning and 2) to allow as many people as possible in the left turn lane to actually turn.

The Deputy Sheriff didn't give me a ticket, just a lecture (again). He did ask me sarcastically, "where did you learn to drive?" I deadpanned, "I took Driver's Education from the Los Angeles Unified School District."

Six years later and we can't find Osama bin Laden. But I stick the nose of my car "too far into the intersection" and off go the lights and sirens. What's wrong with this picture?

Oh well, I found a dime on the sidewalk near the Courthouse -- so I'm still up on the day.

Jurors, on their second and subsequent days of service, are told to park at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. That's not a bad way to start the day.

I like the cafeteria in the Criminal Courts Building. I stopped off there for a quick breakfast. I was hoping to spy Dominick Dunne, who is covering the Phil Spector trial. No luck.

After being excused from Jury Duty I met up with GeezBob and Jim Clarke for lunch at the Redwood Bar and Grill at Second and Broadway. This longtime downtown bar was redone with a nautical theme about eight months ago. It serves upscale gastropub food in a clean but dingy atmosphere. From what I've heard the hipsters living downtown now love it. I thought the food was outstanding -- the Downtown News awarded them "Best Burger in Downtown."

Close Calls

I was ordered to report to the Los Angeles County Superior Court Building in Downtown Los Angeles today for jury duty.

I spent many a Saturday in this building while in high school attending Junior Statesmen conferences -- but I don't think I've been inside it for over 25 years. (Hasn't changed much.)

I was pretty excited when my name was called for a jury pool at 9:30 in the morning because I was really dreading sitting around all day. That's until I found out the trial I was up for was expected to last for 50 days!

I spent the next two hours practicing how I'd tell my employer I'd be back in October.

Once in the courtroom I was really impressed by Judge Victoria Gerard Chaney's command of the room. She was firm but kind at the same time. After sharing information on the schedule for the trial she asked for a show of hands from the 75 assembled potential jurors of folks who could participate in the trial with no hardship. About 30 hands went up. They were asked to leave the room to fill out a potential juror questionnaire.

One by one, the 40 of us left had to stand and address the judge explaining why we couldn't participate in this jury.

One excuse came from a JPL engineer responsible for testing equipment to prepare for an October missile launch. I guess in his case it really does take a rocket scientist.

Another juror explained he worked in a two-man shop and the other employee was scheduled to take a vacation that would overlap with the trial. The judge asked for the name of the "two-man shop." The juror replied, "the U.S. Air Force." After chuckling the judge said she'd never thought of the Air Force quite that way.

I explained I worked for a small company with ongoing responsibility for various clients and a planned trip to represent a client at an important conference. The judge asked what sort of a business I worked for. I replied, "a political consulting firm." When the judge asked for the name of the firm I said, "Woodward & McDowell, but we don't do judicial campaigns, Your Honor." At least I got a smile.

The best exchange was when a potential juror said she had an upcoming trip to Tibet. The judge said, "how lovely, are you visiting Kathmandu?" The juror looked confused for a moment and then said, "No, Your Honor, Kathmandu is in Nepal. Lhasa is the capital of Tibet." The judge smiled and said she was always bad with geography, but no doubt believed the juror really was going to Tibet.

After interviewing all 40 potential jurors seeking to be excused we were asked to leave the courtroom and wait in the hallway. Ten minutes later the bailiff told us we were all excused and were to return to the Jury Assembly Room to see if we were assigned elsewhere.

Waiting in line to check-in at 7:30 in the morning.

Settling into the Jury Assembly Room.

The Los Angeles County Jury Commissioner stopped by and said she was "honored" to delivery patriotic remarks about the importance of jury duty.

She also said the size of the Los Angeles County Courts system requires her office to call 10,000 jurors a day! Isn't that astounding.

Los Angeles City Hall.

A fountain in betweeen the Superior Court Building and the County Hall of Administration.

The Mark Taper Forum (left) and the Ahmanson Theater (right) as seen from the rooftop of the Superior Court Building.

Jurors are normally dismissed from the Jury Assembly Room between 4 and 5 p.m. If you've gone all day without being assigned to a jury you're free to go after one day of service.

After spending the afternoon in the Jury Assembly Room at 3:50 p.m. a group of jurors (including myself) were transferred to the Criminal Courts Building where we are to find out tomorrow if we're part of a jury for a 5 day trial.

Compared to what I thought was going to happen this morning 5 days doesn't seem so bad.

Two Swords Up

The Pasadena Playhouse recently debuted an updated version of Cole Porter's "Can-Can" and I took it in Saturday night and was very, very impressed.

The book has been completely updated by Joel Fields and David Lee (who also directed the show), though all of Abe Burrows' original characters remain. Of course, Cole Porter's music and lyrics remain a true work of art.

Patti Colombo's choreography is stunning -- full of energy, funny at times and very fresh.

The show also features the most exhilarating sword fight I've ever seen staged live (not that you see that many anymore).

Celebrity Sighting: Prior to the show I spotted (technically my friend, Sky Johnson, spotted) Marlee Matlin and her family having dinner at the venerable Pasadena dive, Pie 'n Burger. She was seated behind me so I can't report which sort of pie Matlin had. I had the outstanding fresh peach pie.

Stop Thief!

What I go through to have photos for this blog!

Friday night the Dodgers gave away 50,000 Rafael Furcal Bobblehead Dolls. After entering the Left Field Gate I thought it would be interesting to take a photo of the pile of dolls.

That's when security started yelling at me. I guess they thought I was trying to steal a doll. I yelled back, "I'm just taking a picture."

And that's when they swarmed me. But I just kept the train moving.

Nice way to treat the paying customers, Dodgers.

Larry King made it in 44 minutes from his studio in Hollywood to his seats at Dodger Stadium. No dawdling after that red light goes off at 7 p.m.

Low and Slow

Spending the evening of the 4th of July at Dodger Stadium was fun. At least the festivities were fun -- the Dodgers lost to the Braves 5 to 2.

The highlight was a flyover by a C-17 from March Air Force Base following the National Anthem.

They brought a giant flag out on the field.

Every time I see Larry King at Dodger Stadium he looks smaller and smaller.

The fireworks after the game were OK. I've seen better and I've seen worse.

Summertime Magic

There's no better place to be on a summer night in Los Angeles than an outdoor rock concert.

I enjoyed seeing the "True Colors" concert Saturday night at the Greek Theater.

The highlight was a 6 or 7 song set by "Erasure."

Unfortunately my seats were terrible -- and the sound at the top of the Greek Theater isn't so good. The crowd around us NEVER shut up. They seemed to consider the ongoing concert as background music at their own cocktail party.

I came to hear Andy Bell sing "Oh L'Amore," not you Mr.-Singing-Along-At -The-Top-Of-Your-Lungs sitting right behind me.

Or as GeezBob asked, "what is this, Sing-A-Long Sound of Music at the Hollywood Bowl?"

It was fun to see Debbie Harry still going at it -- but I would have preferred more "Blondie" songs.

I had never heard of "The Dresden Dolls" before seeing them Saturday night. I enjoyed their style -- somewhere in between hard rock and folk music.

Rosie O'Donnell's stand-up routine was very funny -- especially on her final days on "The View" and her riff on Donald Trump -- or the Dump Truck Man as she says her kids call him.

And to Rosie's credit, her portion of the show was the ONLY time the crowd shut up.

But about those yellow crocs she was wearing....

Cyndi Lauper -- who organized the tour -- started her set wearing a giant hat. Her speaking voice is so funny to listen to.