Useless weird sh-t: phil murphy gives 350,000 ex-cons right to serve on jury duty — Artistic Creation - Jury filled with ex-cons - Satire

TRENTON, N.J. – Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order this week restoring jury service rights to more than 350,000 New Jersey residents who have completed their criminal sentences, calling it a historic step toward a more inclusive and representative justice system.

“He’s just gonna keep doing more useless, and in this case, weird sh-t until the 20th,” said former GOP candidate for Governor, Bill Spadea.

The order, signed this weekend in East Orange, reverses decades of state law that permanently barred individuals with felony convictions from serving on juries. Murphy framed the decision as a matter of fairness and civic equality, saying that people who have “taken responsibility for their actions, rebuilt their lives, and earned their freedom” deserve the same opportunity to participate in the judicial process as any other citizen.

“For too long, hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans have been denied one of our most fundamental civic duties,” Murphy said. “A justice system that does not look like the people it serves is not built to serve us well.” The governor emphasized that the change also addresses racial disparities, noting that Black and Latino residents have been disproportionately excluded from jury service under the lifetime ban.

Murphy’s order places New Jersey alongside several states — including Ohio and Florida — that have enacted similar policies to reinstate jury eligibility for rehabilitated citizens. The measure is part of a broader criminal justice reform agenda Murphy has pursued during his tenure, following earlier actions restoring voting rights to people on parole or probation.

During the East Orange signing ceremony, held at New Hope E.O. Church, Murphy paid tribute to former Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver, describing the move as a continuation of her legacy of social justice advocacy.

But not everyone praised the decision.

Bill Spadea sharply criticized the order on social media, dismissing it as symbolic and unnecessary. “I’m sure all 350,000 former convicts were really pissed they wouldn’t be getting a call for jury duty,” Spadea wrote on X, adding that Murphy “can never erase the hypocrisy and deadliness of [his] lockdowns.”

Murphy’s term as governor ends later this month, but the new directive will take effect immediately, giving thousands of rehabilitated residents the chance to participate in jury pools statewide.

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