Cat Called Up for Jury Duty

[Snaploud]

The problem arose after owners Anna and Guy Esposito listed him on the last U.S. Census under "pet."



Anna filed for his disqualification of service. He was not "too old," "ill," or a "convicted felon," so she filed that he "cannot speak English."


The jury commissioner denied this request.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/13/cat-jury-duty_n_808031.html

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I swear I've heard this story before, but probably about a different cat.

 

[Snaploud]

Just to clarify: this was an MA Annual Street Listing census form. That's why there was a place for "pet," and it's also why the information was used to create an "accurate list for jury duty." The national census does not use your information for jury duty lists.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Yeah, it definitely sounds familiar. Same reason it happened too.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Since animals are property and not people they aren't technically citizens, so I would think that would be an easy "out." Or can non-citizens serve on juries?

 

[Miss Chicken]

I thought I had heard it before, and even the cat's name and owner's name seem to be familiar.

It is a story from a year ago. Shame on the Huffington for rehashing an old story.

 

[tharpdevenport]

Yeah, I posted about the cat here last year.

Why the fuck are people counting their pets on the census beaureu?

 

[Snaploud]

I don't see a place for pets on the Boston, MA Annual Street Listing form. I do see something under the Springfield, MA Annual Street Listing form, though it doesn't actually ask for pets to be listed (rather, it just has a place to list a person's "# of dogs").

http://www.cityofboston.gov/Images_Documents/resident_listing_2011_updated_tcm3-13157.pdf

http://www.springfield-ma.gov/elections/fileadmin/attachments/Springfield_census_2010_fillable.pdf

As for when all this took place: it does look as if the story happened last year. Huffingtonpost.com is obviously a bit late (as am I, apparently).

 

[scotpens]

Did this ever really happen at all? The whole thing smells like an urban myth.

 

[Davros]

Yeah, I posted about the cat here last year.

Why the fuck are people counting their pets on the census beaureu?

Because they think of them as part of the family.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

Yeah, I posted about the cat here last year.

Why the fuck are people counting their pets on the census beaureu?

Because they think of them as part of the family.

Or to be funny.

 

[Itisnotlogical]

If he was counted on the census under "pet", wouldn't that kind of tip off the federal government that he wasn't a person?

 

[Snaploud]

If he was counted on the census under "pet", wouldn't that kind of tip off the federal government that he wasn't a person?

State government...and, yes, you would think so...

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

So what if they have to bring the damn cat to court?

 

[Trekker4747]

If he was counted on the census under "pet", wouldn't that kind of tip off the federal government that he wasn't a person?

Well if it was the south circa 150 years ago....

 

[Snaploud]

Picture of Sal:

I haz jury duty?!

 

[Skellington]

So what if they have to bring the damn cat to court?

"The potential juror asks to be excused because of the possibility that it might defecate on the bench". Wish I'd tried that one when I was called.

 

[Snaploud]

Interesting tid-bit:

Anna then got a veterinarian to write a letter stating that Sal Esposito is a "domestic short hair neutered feline."

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Cat called for jury duty, request to be excused denied - National pet news | Examiner.com
​

 

[Captain_Nick]

 

[-Brett-]

This sounds a little like a gag from Futurama.