Juries: 30 Days to Sleep It Off

Serving on a jury is a duty of citizenship that involves a number of obvious obligations, among them being attentive and avoiding contact with any of the principals or lawyers in the case. Theodore Shead, 45, showed up this month in Miami to do his duty at the trial of an accused rapist, but during the lunch break he was seen talking to the defendant. At lunch, it turned out, he had had at least two martinis and, when the trial resumed, as is the martini drinker's wont, he fell asleep.

After a few minutes, the state attorney passed a note to the bench: "The No. 1 juror is either ill or under the influence. He has not opened his eyes since coming into the courtroom." The astounded judge had Shead awakened. Then he angrily declared a mistrial and sentenced the surprised juror to 30 days for contempt of court. Shead was immediately packed off to the county jail, and last week the judge ordered a hearing to determine whether he should be transferred to an alcoholic rehabilitation center.