I am a regular citizen. I used to work as a dispatcher for the Police dept. I got a subpoena to appear before a court as a witness regarding an arrest made on an assault charge and my witness report was part of the evidence. I was not politely asked to come before the court. I no longer worked for the PD and was working in Gainesville right smack dab in the middle of the Gainesville Murders and I had good reason not to show up if I chose to not go to court. In my opinion, they had my statement and I was up to my eyeballs in work as a property manager involving the safety of Gainesville residents.
The Gainesville Police was holding training sessions on our property. We were in the midst of changing locks, walking properties and doing all we could to keep our tenants safe. I worked a lot with the President of the Apartment Association.
The subpoena that was delivered to me said, “LAYING ALL BUSINESS ASIDE, YOU ARE HEREBY ORDERED TO APPEAR...DA DA DA SUCH AND SUCH DATE. Guess what? I laid all business aside and appeared in the next county to answer some questions on the report involving the investigation and trial of the person who would be on trial. I went into the Clerk’s office and explained my situation in Gainesville but I showed up on the date requested and answered any questions or confusion for the State Attorney they may have for their case. LAYING ALL BUSINESS ASIDE MEANS JUST THAT.
I could not get people to just take my place that day. I could not ask another property manager to be there for me. We were all tied up with our own properties and staff along with handling the media. We could not miss work even if sick unless we were in the hospital or dying. We stood a chance of being fired with so many issues going on in Gainesville and the safety of our residents with a serial killer on the loose. I had to lock the doors and tell my boss I had to be 20 miles away regarding a case from my previous job. I will say that the questions and answers were short and I was not held up but half a day but no one knows the stress this put me through. Gainesville was in turmoil and residents were leaving town, breaking leases, terrified and actually being slaughtered, and we had law enforcement needing out assistance for their training exercise. That day was hard. People may wonder why I am so angry at the rule of law being nose thumbed. This is part of it. It hits home and it makes me so angry.
Every state in the union and neighboring counties knew this was a big deal going down in Gainesville. I had good reason now to take one day, one minute or one second off from my position as a property manager because there was a massive manhunt, FBI and local LAw enforcement having training sessions on our particuliar property and it was a matter of security for my being in attendance at that property on the day requested for me to lay all business aside. It did not matter. I HAD to lay all business aside and show up for what I was subpoened to assist regarding a matter that happened a year before. I did not even remember the case that well but once shown some documents, I knew what case was in question. It was not as serious as the questions a judicial committee has for witnesses regarding the Mueller report. Not even anything close. It was not as important IMO as what was happening in my life regarding security in Gainesville but I showed up because I #1 did not want to land in jail and # 2, had respect for the rule of law.
No I do not understand people being blocked because Donald J Trump and his excuses for people to ignore a subpoena is due to attorney client , or national security. I showed up. I did not get to set the terms. I SHOWED UP. I stood and held my hand and answered the questions about what I knew. That is the way the law works or is supposed to. He is no better than me and as I said, I laid all IMPORTANT business aside and showed up. I never knew how that case turned out but I did what the rule of law requested.
I remember being so torn whether I could be in two places at one time but I knew once you are handed a subpoena, that takes precident. Period.