Collins courted for local jury duty> Maine junior senator tapped to hear case

BANGOR – U.S. Sen. Susan Collins left the grand corridors of the nation’s Capitol this week for the more humble hallways of the Penobscot County Superior Court.

Maine’s junior senator from Bangor was among a pool of Penobscot County residents summoned to appear at the courthouse Monday morning for jury duty.

While judges are accustomed to hearing various and often exceptional stories from those seeking dismissal from jury duty, Collins’ spokesperson Felicia Knight said the senator was more than happy to perform her civic duty.

“She’s a public servant so she certainly knows the importance of doing your civic duty,” Knight said Monday afternoon, noting that U.S. senators are not required to serve as jurors.

Collins, along with dozens of other potential jurors, shuffled from courtrooms to conference rooms Monday as jurors were tapped for various trials scheduled to be held this week. Collins’ jury number did come up and she was tapped to hear a case scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday. Knight said the senator was forbidden from revealing any details about the kind of case she would hear.

Whatever it is, the defendant in the case may feel humbled to have a senator who heard the historic impeachment trial of President Clinton sitting on his or her jury. The defendant also may be buoyed to know that the senator voted against impeaching the president.

The court docket for today and Wednesday includes a habitual offender trial, two telephone harassment cases and an OUI trial.

Jurors serve for one month and can be called upon to hear one or more trials during that month. They are paid $10 a day plus mileage reimbursement.