CHICAGO (AP) - The Latest on former President Barack Obama’s appearance in Chicago to serve jury duty (all times local):
12:40 p.m.
Former President Barack Obama has been dismissed from jury duty.
The former president arrived at the Richard J. Daley Center in downtown Chicago for jury duty shortly after 10 a.m. on Wednesday. By noon, Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans was telling reporters that Obama won’t be serving.
Obama’s appearance at the courthouse created quite a stir. He was photographed outside by people who heard on the news that Obama would be coming to court. In the courthouse lobby, people craned their necks for a glimpse of Obama and took cellphone pictures of him.
Evans said the former president shook hands with other would-be jurors inside the jury assembly room and signed copies of his books that some had taken with them to court.
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10:45 a.m.
Former President Barack Obama has arrived in Chicago for jury duty.
Wearing a sport coat and shirt, but no tie, Obama waved as he walked near the Richard J. Daley Center in downtown Chicago on Wednesday morning.
Timothy Evans, the presiding judge of the Cook County chief judge, told county commissioners weeks ago that Obama would serve in November, but would not say when.
On Tuesday, Secret Service agents were at the courthouse in anticipation of Obama’s appearance.
Obama is in line to be paid the same $17.20 a day that others receive for reporting for jury duty.
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10:10 a.m.
Potential jurors are marking the fact they were summoned for duty in downtown Chicago on the same day that former President Barack Obama has been called to serve.
As local media reported that Obama left his house in the Kenwood neighborhood on the Chicago’s South Side to report for jury duty Wednesday, other prospective jurors took photographs of their summonses to prove they too have been called.
A senior law enforcement official who has been briefed says Obama is scheduled to show up for jury duty on Wednesday morning at the Richard J. Daley Center. The official, who is not authorized to speak about the former president’s jury duty, spoke on condition of anonymity.
According to published reports, the Secret Service was at the courthouse on Tuesday in anticipation of Obama’s appearance.
Like others, Obama is in line to be paid $17.20 a day for jury duty.
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9:13 a.m.
Former President Barack Obama is expected to appear for jury duty in downtown Chicago.
A senior law enforcement official who has been briefed says Obama is scheduled to show up for jury duty on Wednesday morning at the Richard J. Daley Center. The official, who is not authorized to speak about the former president’s jury duty, spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Daley Center houses various county agencies and several courtrooms where civil cases are heard.
Obama owns a home in the Kenwood neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. Like others, Obama is in line to be paid $17.20 a day for jury duty.
Obama isn’t the first high-profile person to appear for jury duty in Chicago. In 2004, Oprah Winfrey was on a jury that convicted a man of murder.
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