Judge Fines Erie Woman Who Cursed At Jury Selection
ERIE, Pa. (AP/KDKA) - A Pennsylvania woman has been fined $500 for cursing because she was frustrated with being picked to serve on a jury.
The Erie Times-News reports Erie County Judge Ernest DiSantis levied the fine Wednesday on Kathleen Port.
Port allegedly muttered the "F Word" when she had been picked to serve as a juror on a weapons case, then "huffed and puffed" her way to her seat in the jury box.
DiSantis told the Erie woman she was "totally out of line" and explained jury service is a duty of citizenship.
Port, whose phone number is unlisted, apologized several times but was fined nonetheless.
She told the judge she was upset because jury service would make her miss work and cost her income.
DiSantis says Port could have claimed a hardship on her jury service questionnaire, but did not.
The Times-News reports that if she does not pay up within 90 days, DiSantis said he would consider jailing her.
That is likely not an idle threat. In 2010, DiSantis jailed a juror for 24 hours after the man declared the defendant guilty before the trial had even begun.
The newspaper reports DiSantis said Port would remain in the pool of those eligible for jury summons. He suggested if she is called to serve in the future, she does not "pull that kind of stunt," again.
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