re getting off to an early start in article b eecs nwu edu ptownson ptownson eecs nwu edu writes so the jury will be making its announcement at am saturday morning pacific time am eastern time why such an ungodly hour i guess its because the news is not what the government wanted to hear either the police officers have been found innocent or after a week the jury is hung neither good news from the government s point of view as they desparately needed some scapegoats in los angeles wrong on both accounts maybe by making the announcement at am on the west coast they figure all the rioters will be asleep giving the troops time to move into place no one is a rioter until they participate in a riot which is unlikely to happen now most of the people in l a are likely to have gotten up early to listen to the court announcement i guess we can look forward to a weekend of rioting eh sorry to disappoint you but this seems unlikely the mayor of los angeles in a press conference about am saturday morning in announcing that the jury would give its verdict later this morning just an hour away as i write this would not say what that verdict is but i think he was told in his press conference he said anyone rioting will be stopped dead in their tracks i don t think he was told however his statement was still appropriate meanwhile following the announcement of the jury s verdict the judge jury and assorted court personnel will be evacuated from the building via helicopters landing on the roof of the courthouse they can t even walk out through the front door with their heads held high jury duty is a solemn duty to be taken seriously it is not meant to be a source of pride or instant fame won t the rioters have a surprise waiting for them when they wake up later today well the many people who got up early to go to the court to hear the verdict found that justice was served given your dire and cynical predictions i imagine that it is you who will be surprised patrick townson
