Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 02/05) - Some Yellowknife residents got a surprise introduction to the justice system this week.

Sheriff's officers subpoenaed more than 50 people in malls and on the streets over lunch hour Monday to round up potential jurors for a rape trial.

"I've been here 16 years and this has maybe happened once or twice in Yellowknife," said Colin McCluskie, manager of sheriff's services.

McCluskie, who was part of one of the four teams scattered around the city, said everyone was good about it.

People randomly chosen were asked to report to the courthouse at 3:30 p.m.

Glenda Raketti was on her way to work at Shoppers Drug Mart when she was stopped and given a summons.

"I was a little put off, but once I got there I realized it had to be done," Raketti said. Coral Rix, who works at Health and Social Services, was subpoenaed in Panda II Mall. She was almost stopped again by two other groups of officers on her way to work.

Rix, who has served on juries before, said everything was well run. "It was a pretty jovial atmosphere," she said, with the crowd laughing at some of the excuses for why people couldn't serve.

The jurors were needed for a 30-year old Lutsel K'e rape case.

Justice Virginia Schuler dispatched sheriff's officers after lawyers could agree on just eight jurors from a pool of 65 candidates.

Of the original 280 people who were served by mail for the trial, 159 were excused before coming to the court and only 65 of the remaining 121 turned out.

It's common for some people not to appear, said Bruce McKay, director of court services.

The final jury contains eight men and three women.

The trial for three men who stand accused of raping a Lutsel K'e woman on Aug. 1, 1975 is expected to last two to four days.