Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – A former prospective juror in the sentencing phase of the Parkland shooting trial used an interesting excuse when asking to be dismissed.
On Monday during the first day of jury selection, the woman gave Broward County Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer multiple reasons she could not be on the panel.
“First of all, let me clarify myself,” the potential juror said. “July 7th is my birthday, the 4th is my son’s birthday and the 18th is my other son, so that ain’t gonna out work for me.”
After going over the dates a second time with Scherer, the woman then provided another reason she felt she couldn’t serve on the jury.
“Then again, I need to figure out something,” the woman continued. “I have my sugar daddy that I see every day.”
No one expected the jury selection in the Parkland shooter’s penalty phase trial to go viral, but this clip of Mrs. Bristol explaining why she can’t serve on the panel made the rounds on social media.
Bristol, who is a native New Yorker, says she wasn’t trying to weasel her way out of jury duty.
“If I do this case for six months, I have a hardship that means my sugar daddy can’t support me,” she said.
Bristol explained that the six-month time frame would put her in a financial bind of exactly $8,000 a month.
“It’s all day for six-months and what’s my hardship? I need my sugar daddy money. I said to the judge, ‘I have a sugar daddy and I’m married and I have a husband,’ just like that,” Bristol said.
Bristol says she was honest saying her hardship was financial, so the judge excused her.
The judge heard other more common hardships, like having two jobs, or a long vacation, but none as unique as this one.
A total of 12 jurors and eight alternatives will be seated for sentencing, but Bristol will not be on the panel.