Everyone always wants to know what the best excuse is, to successfully get out of serving jury duty. An Ohio man’s discovered the ultimate jury duty excuse for “no time served” with eleven others: just mention to the courts that you were friends, and grew up, with a serial killer.
For a surefire exit, make sure it’s one of the most unforgettable serial killers—like, say, Jeffrey Dahmer.
John Backderf was called to the infamous service of jury duty--and sat amongst other prospective jurors who were in the process of being screened in voir dire, last week, in a court overseen by a Cleveland-area judge. The prospective juror Backderf was asked: "Has anyone you know ever been convicted of a crime?"
Backderf responded: "I had a close friend in high school who killed 17 people."
News media outlets say that the potential juror’s answer--to what is a very standard “convicted of a crime” voir dire question--caused both the judge to freeze and amounted to the equivalent of dropped jaws, all-around.
Backderf further explained to the judge and lawyers in court that he knew Jeffrey Dahmer growing up, both men raised in northeast Ohio. As simple as that, the potential juror found his way to be excused from jury duty.
Serial killer Dahmer was murdered by fellow inmates, in a Wisconsin prison more than 15 years ago, in 1994, after being convicted.
Backderf is a cartoonist and graphic novelist by profession, with a short story collection arriving out soon. Yes, it is entitled: "My Friend Dahmer." The potential juror’s been dismissed from the jury list—his way to the exit immediate.