Earl Strayhorn Has Died

I just heard an old, retired judge, Earl Strayhorn died. He was at the center of an interesting day in my life. I was never involved in criminal law as a paralegal, none of the firms I worked for handle criminal defense. I met the judge as a juror.

Many years ago I was part of a pool of potential jurors to the Cook County criminal courts building. Rough neighborhood. After several hours my number was called and I was ushered into a courtroom with about 30 other people. As there was only one jittery guy dressed in an orange jumpsuit and shackled to a chair, it was easy to figure out who the defendant was.

The bad guy had several outbursts and refused an attorney. He kept telling the judge he was not guilty and was shocked the judge did not let him go right then and there. Strayhorn politely tried to keep the man under control. After the man agreed to be calm, the bailiffs took off the shackles and handcuffs. Then the jury selection started. Voir dire.

Eventually the defendant lost it and got violent. He flipped over a big table, the kind they used a have in high school libraries. He started throwing chairs, screaming, and carrying on. Everyone on the courtroom floor scattered. We jurors were kind of pinned into the box. Judge Strayhorn looked annoyed that his time was being wasted. Just as I caught his attention as the only white man in the courtroom, bailiffs in 2 x 2 formation rushed from every door. Our friend was on the floor within seconds.

Men gasped, women in the jury pool screamed and cried, and I sat there dumbfounded. Frozen to my seat. Strayhorn looked like he was waiting for a flight. Bookish and reserved his demeanor was unemotional. After the man in orange was carried out of the courtroom, we were ushered into a nearby empty courtroom. Eventually we started laughing about what happened.

About an hour later we got an audience with Judge Strayhorn. He apologized and thanked us for our service. He went on to talk to us for at least fifteen minutes about jury service, justice, and the rights of the accused. He told us that this man was accused of murdering his girlfriend and would go on to trial under another judge. He told us we were excused.

I was impressed with the judge. He was never torn apart in the media and he stayed above the Operation Greylord scandal. Our country needs more like you Judge Strayhorn. Go to God.