Now this is jury duty!

Wendy Thomas Russell reports in a big package in the Long Beach Press-Telegram on a federal civil jury in Los Angeles that deliberated for 4½ months, drank at lunch on Olvera Street, took days off to go to the horse races and ran up $120,000 in expenses. Some jury members became so friendly during the trial they went on gambling weekends to Nevada together and vacationed in Baja California. In the end, they came back with a verdict that could cost the city of Long Beach $30 million. The city is, to say the least, not amused.