Say what you will about 23-year-old Brian Lett, there's no arguing the Alto, Michigan, man does not care for jury duty. Lett says he made it clear that he couldn't take time off work, leave his infant daughter or afford the $40 cab ride to the courthouse every day. Circuit Court Jury Clerk Gail VanTimmeren recalls it differently.

"We're willing to consider some reasonable requests for exclusion," said VanTimmeren, "but we don't consider 'Fuck jury duty, bitch' a statement we can work with." That response was one of two "rather nasty" voice mails Lett had left for VanTimmeren.

After three days of simply not showing up to serve, Lett was arrested and sentenced to three days in jail. The judge hoped to teach Lett that civic responsibility cannot be avoided.

Lett doesn't see it that way. "Next time," Lett vowed, "I'm going to tell them I'm a racist motherfucker and get out of it that way."

» Scott Saxon