Hi, I know you have been wondering why some men in blacks have dragged you roughly into this dark room, while walking to the court room across this hall for your jury duty. I'm sorry about that, but my men have been having a bad day. Before we can continue, I must have you sign this non-disclosure agreement though.

Thanks

Well, lets keep this short. You have been selected *cough*drafted*cough* as part of a restarted secret program that was originally created by Lincoln himself as part of the 'checks and balance' that our constitution demands.

Your Jury designation is twelve of MJ-12, and as part of this system your group will individually review and advise on strategically important cases. There are other jury groups such as yours, that are currently working for our nation. But non as notorious as the group you are now in.

Sometimes, you may be called upon to act as a group in conjunction with another agency to review, and act on major events of national interest. I'm sure you know the significance of this in the past, if you have heard of the reputation of the Majority 12 in conspiracy circles. You know, the whole MJ-12, Aliens, and UFOs, that is mistakenly known as 'Majestic 12'.

Aside from your capacity as lay intelligence advisers, you will occasionally be called upon to vote as a group, if an action by an agency is to be allowed to proceed on matters that have significant morally/political impact domestic and international.

This such intimate access to the dark workings of our nation does come at a cost. You will lose your freedom during your duty with us, and you wont gain much back for a while after it. However for the privilege, you will be paid very well. Just keep your mouth shut when you are released back into the world, and you be fine and 'slightly' more wealthy.

This is not just for secrecy purpose, but also for your protection. Some of our jury's action is of interest to many intelligence agency, both foreign and domestic. ( Especially some rumors around our circles that some from the CIA/NSA/President are out for our blood because one of our jury group, refused to rubber stamp their latest dubious mass wiretapping program.)

Thanks for taking your time to listen. Don't forget to take some paperwork to fill out, and may the spirit of our nation's forefather live on.

Noblesse oblige
-- mofosyne, Jul 12 2010

Wikipedia: Grand jury http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_jury
Grand juries are pretty secretive already. [jutta, May 29 2011]

So, you discover that the next secret wiretapping program has gone ahead anyway, despite a clear vote against it by the jury. What'cha gonna do? Go public? Who will believe you?
-- pertinax, Jul 12 2010


That's when we send a reformed Jack Bauer after their ass

And a bunch of MJ-12 contracted assassins
-- mofosyne, Jul 12 2010


Who's "we"? Are "we" accountable to the jurors, or vice versa, or neither? At what point in the proceedings are the top-secret guardians of constitutional checks and balances given the means to commission assassinations against employees of other agencies of the same government? I think I missed that part.

Also, the transition from being - dragged - around - helplessly - by - men - in - black to having - a - clue who's - who - and - what's - what; I missed that part, too. More specifically, the jurors' decisions would depend entirely on information fed to them by ... whom, exactly? By the people they're supposed to be regulating? Because the information would be classified, it would be very difficult for the jurors to check it, wouldn't it? What would they compare it with?

And if you give the jurors access to training and primary sources of intelligence, then all you've done is create yet another government agency, to irritate and compete with all the others - but more randomly staffed, with second helpings of idiots and slackers.
-- pertinax, Jul 12 2010


It would be an interesting psychology experiement to convince someone that they were in some kind of group like this, even if it had no real power.

Of course everyone would deny everything.
-- RayfordSteele, Jul 15 2010


It's called "Being elected President", [Ray], and it's Baked.
-- 8th of 7, May 29 2011



random, halfbakery