I remember as a young lawyer we had a political event at our Westside office and there was a good crowd of people. We had free barbeque chicken; beer and it was a great time. The local politicians began making their speeches and I recall how they were asking for the Hispanic vote. This event happen in the late 80’s. The Hispanics were not voting in large numbers. Towards the end of the event, I was given a chance to say something to the crowd. I went up stage and remembered a case I had in Victoria, Texas of an injured roofer who had been injured when he fell from the roof and suffered a hematoma in his brain. He was totally and permanently disabled. I will explain the connection.
You see, fighting cases before juries back then was not an easy thing and neither is it now. Why, may you ask? In my opinion, there is the evil racism that some bring to the jury deliberations, and the key is to try to remove those haters before they get there.
I will return to the political event in a moment. So, the company’s insurance adjuster was a tuff cookie. The good thing about her was that she had been raised on the Westside of San Antonio and could understand the effects of an injured disabled bread winner to a humble family. I remember telling her that I wanted total and permanent disability with lifetime compensation and insurance. She told me you must ask for it in the workers compensation hearing. My client needed the money now, not months or years down the road.
I convinced this adjuster to pay my client the total and permanent disability with lifetime compensation and lifetime insurance coverage. The family was so delighted to say the least. One day, I received a call from a worker who had lost a jury trial back in 1987 or so in Victoria, Texas, and he wanted to hire me because he had heard what I had done for the worker who was totally and permanently disabled. I asked about his case, and he had a good lawyer but the people in Victoria, Texas back then did not award him any compensation in his jury trial. I felt sorry for the worker, but I did not think there was much I could do. I explained the system and told him to hire an Appellate lawyer. He had no money and he kept on honing on the jury, and its make up. He finally stated with a tone of anger that the makeup of the jury was all Anglo. Listen, I love people of all races and religions, but I do not approve of those who hate others because they are intolerant due to race or religion.
I asked him if he was registered to vote? He responded that he was not. I asked him if his friends or any people he knew were registered to vote? He said no. Then, I said you see the law in Texas then was that unless you are a registered voter, you do not get called for jury duty. That’s why it’s so important to register to vote and to vote! He lowered his head and felt the pain of ignorance and we left it at that.
The law has changed now, so that anyone who has a driver’s license can be called for jury duty.
Now, when I was on the stage and the politicians were putting their ideas forward and asking the people to vote. I went to the microphone and told the story of the worker who lost his case to a jury not of his peers only because the worker’s peers were not registered to vote.
The crowd was impressed, and I received offers from some State leaders to run for political office or for a judgeship. I was happy representing working people who got injured and left it at that.
So, you see, don’t ever try to get out of jury service, for you never know when you or your peers may need your presence to render justice! The other matter, that affects our society is that a person who gets convicted of a felony and pays his dues to society cannot vote. Did you know? Well, in my opinion it’s another form of repression, because you cannot serve in a jury, as it was back in the 80’s if you did not vote.
On another note: People imprisoned have points of view that none of us will ever have, and some of us will never know or hear. These people unless they are violent sadistic criminals who do not learn should be allowed to educate us about jail reform and many other issues that is wrong with our criminal justice system. The prison system does not reform but robs the person of time and fails to educate and rehabilitate. Non-Violent prisoners are being destroyed by a criminal justice system that is unjust especially when you have private prisons who are making money at the cost of our society.
Time to bring change in many areas of society!
Roger Z, Guevara
Change is Coming!
Injured? “Llamale a Guevara!”
