Hall of Famer Ray Allen appeared in a Miami courtroom on Wednesday after failing to fulfill his duties as a juror for a trial that took place while he was in Boston to attend former teammate Kevin Garnett’s jersey retirement ceremony. Allen was issued a $1,000 fine for his absence, according to Jay Weaver of the Miami Herald.
Allen was chose among 14 permanent and alternate jurors in a deadly carjacking trial, which wrapped up on Tuesday after guilty verdicts were levied against the defendant for fatally shooting the car’s driver.
Allen’s attorney, William McCue, issued an apology on behalf of Allen, calling his absence the result of a “complete misunderstanding.” The trial was initially scheduled for March 14, but Allen requested that U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke push the start date back a day because he was due to be a presenter at Garnett’s jersey retirement ceremony in Boston on March 13. Cooke rescheduled the trial date for March 15, but Allen still didn’t show up.
In an order to show cause for why Allen should not be sanctioned for failing to appear, Cooke scolded the 10-time All-Star for his negligence.
“Through his actions in failing to appear for jury duty, Mr. Allen appears to not appreciate or understand the importance of jury service. The right to a trial by jury is sacrosanct,” Cooke wrote. “However, the right to trial by jury can only be preserved if those who are chosen to serve on a jury actually fulfill their obligation to serve.”
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