QUEBEC CITY – A handful of people who did’t show up for jury selection Monday and Wednesday in Quebec City spent the night in jail.
Quebec’s Superior Court was choosing a jury of English speakers for a sexual assault case, but dozens of people didn’t show up.
So, the court sheriff went on a hunt to track them down.
After being summoned a second time, twelve were still absent; five of them were arrested and the court is still looking for seven others.
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However, the large number of no-shows in the case doesn’t necessarily point to a growing problem, said private practice lawyer, Philipp Theriault.
“If the judge, François Huot acted in this way…I think he was trying to send a message of the importance of showing up in court,” he said.
“Seeing there might be a trend, his goal was to immediately stop that trend.”
The five accused defended their absences in court.
The judge found two of the accused didn’t intentionally miss court, but he made two others pay small fines – after four of the five spent the night in jail.
The story is drawing attention to different issues with the legal system.
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One lawyer said trials last longer than they used to – for weeks, or even months.
“The trials sometimes seem endless and it’s a lot to ask for a citizen to just take that much time out of their life,” said defence attorney Eric Sutton.
The judge showed little sympathy, saying he was unimpressed by much of what he heard.
However, even those who got off say the incident marked them.
One accused said the humiliation she felt was all the punishment she needed to take jury duty seriously.
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