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Pool of jurors down 1,800 by beginning of selection

Circuit Judge Ric Howard excuses many with legitimate reasons but also denies requests.

By EDDY RAMIREZ
Published July 11, 2006

	[Times photo: Stephen J. Coddington]
	Hundreds of potential jurors for the trial of John Evander Couey line up Monday morning outside the Lake County Judicial Center in Tavares. Couey is accused of killing 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford of Homosassa. More photos

TAVARES - Dozens of potential jurors in the John Couey trial were peppered with tough, probing questions Monday from prosecutors and defense lawyers seeking a fair jury in Lake County.

But Edna Smith Blount didn't have to answer a single question.

The Leesburg woman was excused from jury duty last week after Circuit Judge Ric Howard got her letter.

Potential jurors are not told before they arrive to court which case they might hear. But Blount seemed to have a hunch about what was up.

"To whom it may concern," her letter began. "It is against my religion to judge another human being's life, and furthermore, I don't believe in capital punishment." She quoted from the Bible: "Thou shall not kill."

To further drive home the point that she wanted no part in the case, Blount included an article that was published in the Daily Commercial, her hometown newspaper. The headline: "Couey's confession tossed."

Because of intense publicity in Citrus County, jury selection was being conducted in Lake County. Once the panel is selected, it will be moved to Inverness to consider the case.

Lake County court officials sent notices to 3,500 prospective jurors. Soon, hundreds of letters like Blount's poured in from people who said they didn't want to serve on a jury. Officials said the flurry of excuses is common.

Bankers, nurses, teachers, construction workers, single mothers, the infirm - all listed one reason or another to avoid appearing in court Monday for the start of jury selection.

Some said they were the sole breadwinner in the family. Others were doctors who vouched for their patients' health problems. Some, like Blount, said they simply would not be impartial.

Howard, who read almost all of the written explanations, excused 1,800 prospective jurors before Monday.

He excused a Paisley woman who requires frequent bathroom breaks and suffers from vertigo. Another woman got off after she wrote that she must care for her husband, who has senile dementia and heart disease.

Howard also took pity on a law clerk who has a summer internship in Columbus, Ohio, and a teacher who works with profoundly mentally handicapped children at a school in Eustis.

But Howard didn't find everyone's reasons convincing.

He denied the request of Tamara Ramski of Montverde, who wrote that her mother, a paraplegic, relies on her to do her shopping, banking and house chores.

"I am her only child, and we have no other family that lives in Florida," Ramski wrote. "If she needs to go to the doctor, I need to drive her."

Howard also denied petitions from residents whose doctors wrote on their behalf. One physician said his female patient has an immune deficiency and needs to go to therapy every 10 days.

"It is vital she gets her infusions on time," the physician wrote.

Mark Burnham of Eustis also failed to convince Howard. He said he had open heart surgery a few months ago and must stick to a rigid eating schedule. But he didn't include a doctor's note, which is a requirement to get out of jury duty.

Howard denied Claude Hucorne, who wrote that she becomes anxious and has panic attacks. Her son was 17 when he was killed in a tragic accident, she wrote.

Even school employees were not immune from reporting to jury duty. One principal wrote on behalf of her bookkeeper.

"We have many teachers to hire and many new students are registering daily," she wrote, to no avail.

Jessica Freeman of Mount Dora wanted to get out of jury duty. A relative was recently charged and tried in court.

"Even though he was found not guilty," she wrote, "this charge has ruined his life."

Howard wrote back: Not excused.

Some people were denied more than once.

Sandra Symons of Eustis had written that going to court every day would cause her financial hardship. In her second attempt, the woman wrote, "The $15 to $30 will not cover my missed income. I have bills that come each month. ... I'm sure some people would not miss their regular income for that time period, but unfortunately I'm not one of those people."

"Not excused AGAIN," Howard wrote, underlining the word "again."

Jerry Walsh invoked God. The pastor of Seminole Community Church wrote, "July 1st is the first day of our church's Vacation Bible School. We are expecting almost 200 people every morning that week. ... It would be a huge hardship for me to miss this event. A lot of volunteers are counting on me. God bless."

Not excused, Howard wrote.

[Last modified July 11, 2006, 13:30:59]