High on Jury Duty

Recent CNN headline and lead:

N.Y. judge’s ruling affects ‘high’ court
NEW YORK (Reuters) — New Yorkers dreading jury duty take note: it’s OK to be drunk on booze or high on pot or cocaine while doing your civic duty.

Before you get too confused by this, the story is really the fact that CNN is using a drug and alcohol issue in a sensational way to get your attention.
In actuality, the judge did not say it’s OK to be drunk or high on jury duty, nor that you could avoid arrest for possessing drugs while on jury duty. He simply stated that the impairment of alcohol, drugs, or fatigue did not, by itself, constitute the legal definition of “outside” influence that would be grounds for setting aside a jury verdict.
And this is the correct decision.
After all, it is supposed to be a jury of your peers (couldn’t resist that).

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