After sitting through dozens of trials during the past 15 or so years, here’s a suggestion for our Court of Common Pleas judges: Tell jurors to pay attention.
That shouldn’t be necessary, but it is.
The most common question juries submit during the course of deliberations is to have a transcript of a portion of a trial read again.
Sorry jurors, but you only get one shot. Testimony is presented once, from the witness stand, and there is no chance at a replay.
Juror attention spans seem to be declining, in general. Then there’s this: A few months ago, one juror seated in the front row of the jury box slept through almost the entire defense presentation. Or maybe she just had her head down and her eyes closed while listening. In another trial just last week, a juror blurted out a question while a defendant, who was representing himself, was giving his final statement.
So given these issues, it might be worthwhile for a trial judge to let jurors know at the start of a trial that they need to be as alert and attentive as possible.
And now for something completely different …
We all know the economy is still less than vibrant, especially on the job front, but we’ve moved well past the dormant/sluggish phase.
First, unemployment has declined, although some of that decline is due to people giving up and no longer seeking jobs. Here in Lebanon County, it’s safe to say that just about anyone who wants to work, repeat WHO WANTS TO WORK, can find a job (5.8 percent unemployment in November). Inflation is still tame, home prices are rising (home sales were up 12 percent in Lebanon County last year) and we are on the verge of major commercial development (North Cornwall Commons).
And there are the stock markets. Last year, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 26 percent, the S&P 500 rose 30 percent and the NASDAQ composite soared 38 percent.
So if you hear someone say the economy sucks, well, no it doesn’t.
Meanwhile, on a basketball court near you …
Our Lebanon County boys’ basketball teams are having fun, for the most part. Midway through the Lancaster-Lebanon League season, Cedar Crest is in second place in Section One, a game back of Hempfield and a game ahead of Lancaster. Lebanon leads Section Two by three games over Ephrata and Solanco (with eight games to play). Lebanon hosts Lancaster Friday.
Northern Lebanon is in third place in Section Three, three games behind Manheim Central and two back of Lampeter-Strasburg. Lebanon Catholic is in third place in Section Four, a game-and-a-half back of Lancaster Mennonite and Columbia and a game ahead of Lancaster Catholic. The Beavers are at Lancaster Catholic tonight and at Northern Lebanon Tuesday for two huge games.
Elco, Annville-Cleona and Palmyra are out of the hunt in their divisions but it’s safe to say that Elco and Palmyra have exceeded expectations overall.
District Three power ratings are expected to be released later today.
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