Like so many, I resented the call to jury duty. What an inconvenience!

In retrospect, after serving nearly two weeks, an innocent man regained freedom – and career. The jury halted a miscarriage by an overwhelmingly powerful prosecutor. Believe me; the state has awesome power to nip your freedom.

The case itself was sensational involving a Seattle police officer, knife, bleeding and domestic violence. The lurid media reports, on that March, 2009 incident, strongly insinuated guilt – as did not so suppressed feelings about cops and marital violence.

The verdict, not guilty, dismayed several acquaintances: “You let him go! Another cop beats the warp!” The decision was unanimous by 12 jurors and arrived at rather swiftly. The state had no case!

However, the state pursued an all-out prosecution. Inflamed media no doubt put a man on trial. It was a classic: “she said, he said,” which is no basis for incarceration up to a year. The knifing – well that was exaggerated, likely imagined or self-inflicted. Enter that as testimony about news reporting nowadays.

It is up to you! The state is awesome, but for 12 men and women called at random to serve on a jury.

Bill Alford, Kirkland resident