This article was originally published on October 12, 2019, and has since been updated.
Deandre Somerville, a 21-year-old from West Palm Beach, Florida, was absent for his scheduled jury duty in a civil rights case on August 21, 2019. His absence was due to oversleeping and missing his alarm.
Judge John Kastrenakis ruled Somerville’s actions as contempt of court, resulting in a sentence of ten days in jail, 150 hours of community service, and a year of probation. Somerville, who had no prior criminal record, is now fighting to have the charges dropped and his record cleared.
He had no criminal record prior to his conviction
Somerville, initially unaware of the severity of his absence, regrets not calling the courthouse after waking up late on the day of his jury duty. His conviction has impacted his future plans, including pursuing his dream of becoming a firefighter.
Despite serving his jail term and showing remorse, Somerville faces challenges with his new criminal record affecting his college and job prospects. Social media campaigns are advocating for the conviction to be dropped, emphasizing the disproportionate consequences of his misdemeanor offense.
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