Parish hands out subpoenas to jurors

Published 12:00 am Friday, February 17, 2006

VIDALIA &8212; If you are one of the 200 prospective jurors in the upcoming Ferriday voter fraud trial, you will definitely know it.

That&8217;s because Judge Sharon Marchman ordered jury subpoenas to be hand-delivered by sheriff&8217;s deputies.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin March 6; the trial is expected to last through the week. A final hearing of motions is scheduled for today.

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Hand-delivering a subpoena draws a $5 fee from the Concordia Parish Sheriff&8217;s Office; the bill is presented to the police jury.

That&8217;s $1,000 and represents the tip of the iceberg.

Each prospective juror is entitled to $25 compensation for their time &8212; an additional $5,000 the police jury would have to pay.

&8220;If its ordered by the judge, we have to pay it,&8221; jury President Melvin Ferrington said.

The method of delivery is left to the discretion of the judge; usually, they are mailed. Marchman did not return messages left for comment.

Ferrington said he thought the subpoenas were delivered to ensure a better turnout.

&8220;In the past, they&8217;ve mailed notices to appear, and maybe a third of the people show up,&8221; Ferrington said. &8220;Poor turnout for jury duty has plagued us.&8221;

With the high-profile nature of the voter fraud hearing, a large pool of jurors will be needed.

&8220;I think she&8217;s going to be very strict about this,&8221; Ferrington said.

&8220;If they don&8217;t show up, they ought to be picked up and fined. I think it&8217;s your civic duty to show up.&8221;

CPSO spokesperson Kathy Stevens said delivering 200 summonses by hand would require both civil and patrol deputies and puts a &8220;tremendous amount of extra work and expense on the sheriff&8217;s office.&8221;

&8220;Everyone is having to help with this because it&8217;s so massive.&8221;

Marchman is presiding over the trial after Seventh District judges Leo Boothe and Kathy Johnson recused themselves.