Judge vacates ruling against man who spent 10 days in jail for missing jury duty
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. _ The man whose story about serving 10 days in jail for missing jury duty gained national attention will no longer have a criminal record, a Palm Beach County judge wrote in an order filed Monday.
Circuit Judge John Kastrenakes vacated and rescinded his finding of contempt of court and the sentence of probation for Deandre Somerville, after "reflection over the weekend."
The 21-year-old man was a sworn juror for a civil case and did not show up to duty on Aug. 21. He later told the judge he overslept and then didn't notify anyone about his absence. Kastrenakes sentenced the man, who had no criminal history, to 10 days in jail and a year of probation.
After he served the jail sentence, his probation was reduced to three months on Friday after the judge received an apology from Somerville and heard from his family. The judge also agreed to change his conviction for contempt of court to an adjudication withheld once he completed probation.
_The Palm Beach Post
