The Accidental Juror by P. T. McBride

The Accidental Juror by P. T. McBride

In 1955, Kelly Edwards, an attractive, intelligent young housewife, mother of two, and a church organist, receives her postcard jury summons in the mail and thinks the postcard is a mistake—an accident. A quick phone call to the county clerk’s office affirms the jury summons is for her. Kelly will join eleven men in weighing the guilt or innocence of a man accused of a crime of violence, and she will vote on his fate.

In the 1950’s, television is young. Detroit is churning out huge family cars with big tail fins, highway sharks. Most married women are housewives. A wife’s place is at home with the children.

Organized labor is a national hot button. Picket lines of sign-carrying pro-union protesters draw counter-protesters and violence. In 1954, the people in Pine City, Texas discover they are not immune to demonstrations and violence sparked by the labor movement. Arrests follow and the district attorney takes a criminal case to trial, where for the first time, a woman, sits in the jury box.

Some in her family think Kelly Edwards is too young and pretty for jury service. Her pastor thinks women are too emotionally frail for jury duty. The judge, district attorney, and even the lawyer for the defense are not sure what to think. Then Kelly stepped into the jury box.