MOUNT Isa citizens who attended the District Court for jury duty were inconvenienced an extra day because of bureaucracy and shortage of peers.
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Gregory King was due to face trial on Monday, having pleaded not guilty to charges involving unlawful dealings and procurement of a minor. The trial was delayed until Tuesday because it was one short of the required 12 to be the jury.
Twenty-two candidates attended the district court but two requested Judge Sarah Bradley that they not be jurists.
Judge Bradley accepted their reasons.
The remaining attendees were further narrowed down by ballot but defence barrister Frank Richards challenged more than five candidates called from the ballot – all of them women.
If challenged the candidate is removed from the list and not able to be part of the jury.
The women jury candidates outnumbered the men until Mr Richards balanced it through the challenges.
There were six women to five men sitting on the jury and Mr Richards challenged the last candidate.
Mr Richards sat facing away from where the candidates sat – unaware that no others remained.
The jury had to be rechosen again on Tuesday, with Judge Bradley insisting that more candidates attended.
Mr King’s bail was extended.