Juror No. 3, also a judge, is nixed by defense; prior jury duty pointed him toward legal career
Some individuals try to avoid jury service. But not Sohail Mohammed.
A sitting judge in New Jersey Superior Court, he credits long-ago jury service, just after he had been sworn in as a U.S. citizen some 25 years ago, with pointing him toward a legal career. Before seeing how the justice system worked, he had been studying to be an engineer, reports the Record.
So on Tuesday, sitting among a pool of potential jurors after being called to serve in his own courthouse in Passaic County, the judge was ready, willing and able to do his civil duty.
After questioning (he says fellow members of the pool were startled when he responded to questions about his occupation), the judge was excited about being selected as juror No. 3 in a civil auto negligence case. Then a defense lawyer exercised one of his challenges to exclude Mohammed from the panel.
It will now be three years before he has another chance to serve.
