Juror Fined for Yawning in L.A. Court

[GameMaster]

Apr 20, 7:13 AM (ET)

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Call it a rude awakening. A juror was cited for contempt and fined $1,000 by a judge for yawning loudly while awaiting questioning in an attempted murder trial. The fine later was reduced to $100.

The yawn came after the man, identified as Juror No. 2386 in an April 1 court transcript, had been sitting in a courtroom for two days as part of jury selection.

"You yawned rather audibly there. As a matter of fact, it was to the point that it was contemptuous," Superior Court Judge Craig Veals said.

"I'm sorry, but I'm really bored," the juror said.

"I'm sorry?" the judge responded.

When the juror repeated his statement, he was admonished by the judge for having a "lousy" attitude.

"Your boredom just cost you $1,000 I'm finding you in contempt," Veals said. "Are you quite so bored now?"

The judge later called the yawn disruptive.

"I can't run a court when I have someone behaving the way you did," Veals said.

The juror paid the fine after it was reduced to $100. Ultimately, he was questioned but not selected for the trial.

What a ridiculous penalty. My band teacher in high school sent a student out once for yawning. Why should people be punished for a reflex of deep inhalation and exhalation associated with being tired, with a need to sleep, or from boredom?

http://apnews.excite.com/article/200...D89J3IQG2.html

[MuGen]

geez... I was repremanded for cracking my knuckles... but I guess certain people have a threshold for expressions of fatigue and relaxation.

[Dark Samurai]

That mustve been a goooood yawwnn...

[Su-Yin]

i really think he shouldnt have done that in court...its alright elsewhere where things arent serious matters...plus..yawns are contagious...lol

[Happydude]

yawn are caused due to a lack of oxygen getting into the lungs, so the body forces you to inhale deeply to get enough oxygen...so it is perfectly natural...now as to why it is usually linked to being tired/bored is because when you are in those states you tend to breathe very slowly and your breathing is shallow...so you don't get enough oxygen into your body...and that is why you mostly yawn when you are tired/bored.


so i thinhk this fine was total BS...

[The Germanator]

Originally Posted by Happydude

yawn are caused due to a lack of oxygen getting into the lungs, so the body forces you to inhale deeply to get enough oxygen...so it is perfectly natural...now as to why it is usually linked to being tired/bored is because when you are in those states you tend to breathe very slowly and your breathing is shallow...so you don't get enough oxygen into your body...and that is why you mostly yawn when you are tired/bored.


so i thinhk this fine was total BS...

Yeah, but he reacted by saying... "Sorry, I was really bored."

You just can't say that in court when you are deciding someone else's fate, he was being antagonistic and deserved to be fined.

[Happydude]

i guess that is also true...he could have just said "sorry"

[Blackmane]

Yea, I feel the fine was probably more for the responce and not the yawn. If the guy was apologetic, nothing probably would have happened.