Bush summoned for jury service

2005-12-02 08:08

Washington - US President George W Bush has been summoned to carry out jury service next week in Texas but has asked for a delay, a White House spokesperson said on Thursday.

Bush, the former governor of Texas who has a ranch in the state, was listed as number 286 on the list of 600 prospective jurors summoned to attend a McLennan county court next Monday, the Waco Tribune Herald reported.

The summons was sent in mid-November to 43 Prairie Chapel Ranch Road, Crawford, the address of his ranch, a court official told the Texas newspaper.

The White House said the summons was not seen but that the president wants to be on a jury.

"We never received a jury summons from the court," White House spokesperson Scott McClennan told a press briefing.

"We checked. But when we learned about it, I think through media reports, we did reach out to the court to find out about this jury summons. And apparently the summons was for Monday, December 5.

"We have since called the court to inform them that the president has other commitments on Monday, and that he would like to reschedule his jury duty."

The spokesperson said Bush considered jury duty to be "an important civic responsibility. And it's important that people do serve."

Judge Ralph Strother, a Republican, said he would not be sending a sheriff out "to bring the president in" if he fails to turn up, the Waco Tribune reported.

"It seems to me that the president has plenty of things to occupy his attention. Jury duty is a very important civic function, but running the country, I think, especially in wartime, takes priority over jury service," added the judge, who has a grandson serving in Iraq.

- AFP