The all-lady jury that acquitted George Zimmerman enjoyed steaks, pedicures, and bowling excursions during their 22-night sequester at a Florida Marriott. The state’s taxpayers paid $33,000 to subsidize the fun-filled slumber party.
“It certainly seems reasonable to me that a woman would desire a bit of personal grooming over 22 days,” Randy Reep, a Florida attorney, told USA Today. “Allowing the woman to get manicures and pedicures or enjoying other activities is important to the mental well-being of these jurors who are in a very stressful situation,” said Elizabeth Parker, a Florida criminal defense attorney and former assistant state prosecutor. “Imagine four weeks of being confined to a courtroom all day and a hotel room at night and on the weekend, without any freedom or independence.”
So basically: they would’ve turned into total depressed bitches if they hadn’t been sufficiently pampered. What a bummer that would’ve been. Might there be a fine line between allowing jurors basic creature comforts and taking them on field trips to watch fireworks? You decide! Here’s a list of delightful ways to pass the time; guess which ones the juror gals enjoyed before deciding to acquit a murderer.
1. Dinner at Outback Steakhouse
2. SoulCycle classes
3. Foot rubs
4. Ice cream sundaes
5. Bowling
6. A day trip to St. Augustine, which included dinner and a visit to the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum
7. Shopping at a nearby mall
8. Yoga
9. Manicures and pedicures
10. A 4th of July fireworks-watching excursion
11. Beach day
12. Facial
13. Viewings of “World War Z” and “The Lone Ranger.”
Zimmerman jury activities: 1, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13
“A Bloomin Onion at Outback would not adequately reimburse these women for the bitterness” some feel regarding their decision, Reep said.
Note: Jurors paid for their own purchases and appointment costs, but they were only allowed out if accompanied by deputies, and all that chaperoning had a price tag, too. The sheriff’s office is currently compiling the agency’s total costs associated with the trial, but preliminary figures show that the sheriff’s office spent approximately $320,000 on overtime and other trial-related expenses.
Image via Patrizia Tilly/Shutterstock.