Oprah gets Jury Duty

[cityboi]

I guess shes too special to get picked

(AP) Reporters and sketch artists have jammed into a Chicago courtroom for a relatively obscure murder trial turned famous by the presence of a celebrity juror: Oprah Winfrey.

Winfrey, who was chosen for the jury on Monday, spent day two of the trial quietly taking notes as testimony unfolded on the charge that Dion Coleman, 26, shot and killed Walter Holley, 23.

Criminal court is a new venue for Winfrey, although she has had legal adventures of her own, having been sued - unsuccessfully - by Texas cattlemen several years ago for an on-camera remark she made about eating hamburgers.

Like all of the other Cook County Criminal Court jurors, Winfrey will be paid $17 a day for her efforts.

Unlike the rest of the panel, the billionaire talk show host and media mogul is using a side entrance to the courthouse - to avoid reporters and assorted onlookers.

Officials say that inside the courtroom, she isn't getting any special treatment.

Winfrey had told reporters she didn't think she'd be picked because she's "too opinionated."

"I would not pick me," said Winfrey, "I would not have me on a jury."

And she's hoping the trial will be a short one.

"I'm just hoping it doesn't take longer than a week," she said, "because I've got shows to do."

[josita]

I am so bummed. I had jury duty a few weeks ago -- I would of loves to be with Oprah in the jury room.

But really, she is getting a ton of press here in Chicago -- serving on a murder trial is tough though... even if I did get picked for jury duty, I would not want to sit in on a murder trial -- esp. if I lived in a state that supported the death penalty.

Only Oprah would say that she hoped a murder trail would not last more than a week...

[cityboi]

I serve on jury duty for an armed robbery case for about 4 days and believe me jury duty is no fun. I cant imagine what its like to serve long term like in the OJ Simpson case. Id go insane.

[josita]

I agree completely --- Oprah, though, totally wanted the experience and got a full-fledged murder trial.

Also.. she is going to have a "Jury Reunion" in a week or so to bring back all the jury members she served with --- is this safe? Do you really want the faces of the jurers on national attention who just convicted someone of murder? If it was me, although I love Opera, I would have to say no -- since I live in Chicago that there would be some sort of revenge out of these jurers.

[josita]

If it was me, although I love Opera, I would have to say no --

oops!

although I do love Opera --- I meant to write Oprah!!