Clark County working to create another grand jury

Fri, Sep 30, 2016 (2 a.m.)

Clark County officials are in discussions about adding a grand jury panel to the District Court system.

District Attorney Steven Wolfson’s office said he and the county are on the tail end of talks, trying to secure about $125,000 for the third grand jury.

Furthermore, the District Court has launched a campaign to try to recruit possible jurors.

How a grand jury works

Grand juries in Clark County meet Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and if implemented would also meet Thursdays. They're tasked with hearing and evaluating evidence from serious felony cases to decide whether those cases should proceed to trial.

In a grand jury session, prosecutors explain the nature and elements of each charge and examine witnesses on the stand. Grand jury members can then question witnesses, too, District Court Chief Judge David Barker said.

Depending on the complexity of the case, the number of witnesses could range from one to more than a dozen, he said.

Jurors get to experience an up-close look at how law enforcement and the justice system operate, which is often different from the media's portrayal, he said.

"I've talked to many grand jurors who have really enjoyed the experience. You hear everything: murders, sexual abuse, sexual assault, kidnappings, bad checks. Every conceivable kind of charge that comes before the court, the grand jurors will hear,” Barker said.

How they're chosen

According to Barker:

A grand jury comprises 17 members, and when each panel begins, 14 alternates are also selected.

Each jury generally serves a full workday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and its jurors are paid the same amount as trial jurors: $40 a day.

Grand jurors serve on a voluntary basis, unlike trial jurors, who are summoned and required by law to report. Another difference is that trial jurors can be ordered to serve.

Selection process begins with — by statute — the court sending letters to 10,000 potential jurors to select 100. This year, the court had to send out 12,000 letters to assemble the pool.

The court identifies potential jurors using DMV and NV Energy records, and is considering expanding to include voter registration records as well.

Jurors must be Clark County residents 18 or older and have no felonies on their record.

The letter contains a questionnaire on basic personal info that includes health status and ability to serve.

Once the potential jurors are selected, the court holds an all-judges meeting in which each judge gets a full list of the jurors, accompanied by a brief biography.

The group chooses 55 finalists, who are issued summonses for final selection in October.

The final selection begins with a question-and-answer period, followed by the 55 names being placed in a drum and drawn randomly.

Once the 17 grand jurors are selected, 14 more are picked as alternates.

Campaign

The court has posted at least two 30-second public service announcements on YouTube trying to educate Clark County residents and possibly persuade them to respond to jury duty summons and volunteer for grand juries.

Wearing their judicial robes, Barker and Nevada Supreme Court Justice Mark Gibbons parodied David Letterman's Top 10 list, of excuses they said they've heard for not serving on a jury, which Gibbons said is "vital for our community."

The other spot shows a young man crossing out a to-do list, which includes "jury duty" before calling the court. "You haven't really lived until you've had a hand in justice," a voice is heard saying in the video.

Barker advises potential jurors to be open-minded and have the desire to follow the process legally.

"Remember, it's a probable-cause determination. It's a much lower standard to prove probable cause (than to make a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt). But the most important thing is to be respectful of your other grand jurors. It's a collaborative effort. You have to be patient and respectful of fellow jurors as they get questions asked and answered that they think are important."

And as with a trial juror, grand jurors must work toward reaching agreement on their findings, he said.

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