A Florida man who spent 10 days in jail after he overslept and missed jury duty has had his record cleared by a judge.
Palm Beach County Circuit Judge John Kastrenakes rescinded his contempt finding against 21-year-old Deandre Somerville on Monday, writing that Somerville has been apologetic, ‘totally rehabilitated’ and no longer needs to be on probation.
‘I know he now understands and respects our system of justice and the critical role jurors play in that system,’ Kastrenakes wrote. ‘In conclusion, I do not want even a finding of contempt to be gleaned from a perusal of his background or record.’
Florida man Deandre Somerville, 21, was sentenced to 10 days in jail and a year’s probation after he failed to show up for jury duty. However, on Monday, the judge reversed his decision and completely cleared Somerville’s record
Somerville was chosen to serve as a juror for a civil automobile accident negligence case on August 20 and was supposed to return to Florida’s 15th judicial circuit court the following day at 9am for trial.
But he overslept by at least two hours and failed to notify the court. Instead of going to the courthouse, he went to work.
Three weeks later police arrived to his home and he was ordered to attend a hearing where Judge John Kastrenakes found him in criminal contempt of the court and sentenced him to 10 days in jail, a year of probation, and a $223 fine on September 23.
‘I should have called,’ Somerville said to NBC. ‘But I was kind of nervous. I also went online to look up what could really happen, and I didn’t really see too much there… [It looked like] nobody actually ever really went to jail for it.’
In addition to jail time, Somerville was ordered to write an apology of no less than 100 words and serve 150 years of community service, which included reporting to the jury office once a week to have a 10-minute discussion on the importance of jury duty.
Somerville says his sentence and jail time was ‘traumatic’ and put a strain on his family. He had no prior criminal record.
Judge John Kastrenakes found him in criminal contempt of the court and sentenced him to 10 days in jail, a year of probation, and a $223 fine on September 23
‘Twenty-four hours in a day felt like 48-hours in a day. All I could do was think, being around criminals, now I am a criminal for doing something that’s not even a real criminal act,’ Somerville said of his time behind bars
‘For me it was like, dang, it was the first time I go to a courtroom and the second time I show up I get jail time,’ Somerville said to Buzzfeed.
‘I feel like the punishment could have been probation or community service. Why did you have to throw me in jail? Because you assumed I was one way? It’s easy to throw someone in jail versus spending the time to really see someone and asking them how they work,’ he added.
He said upon hearing his sentence he worried about how it would effect his family.
‘A whole 10 days. It put a bind on my family. It neglected me from helping my family. When I am not working, I am helping maintain the house. I am taking my granddad to therapy. I am constantly going. It was hard. My granddad missed days of therapy when I was in jail,’ he added.
‘I never been to jail. I’m not made for jail. Jail’s not made for me,’ he said to ABC.
‘Twenty-four hours in a day felt like 48-hours in a day. All I could do was think, being around criminals, now I am a criminal for doing something that’s not even a real criminal act,’ he added on his jail time.
Somerville is pictured in a Facebook photo with his mother
Last Friday, Judge Kastrenakes voided his prior order of guilty, meaning Somerville’s criminal record was cleared – but he already spent time in jail. The judge also reduced the probation to three months and community service to 30 hours.
‘I had to tell myself, I am not a criminal. Those 10 days were long and traumatic days.’
Last Friday, Judge Kastrenakes voided his prior order of guilty, meaning Somerville’s criminal record was cleared – but he already spent time in jail.
The judge also reduced the probation to three months and community service to 30 hours.
However, following widespread outrage regarding the Somerville’s harsh punishment, Kastrenakes has now completely expunged the young man’s record.
Somerville is no longer required to perform community service, and is no longer on probation.
He has not made a public statement following the reversal of Judge Kastrenakes’ decision.
Somerville is no longer required to perform community service, and is no longer on probation. He is pictured last Frifday.