NFL Giants President & CEO JOHN MARA yesterday tried to "escape serving on a jury hearing a drug trial," but the judge rejected "excuses that included the upcoming NFL draft and his role as a negotiator for team owners in the work stoppage that resulted from their dispute with players," according to Larry Neumeister of the AP. The "confrontation occurred in U.S. District Court in Manhattan" between Mara and Judge JED RAKOFF after Mara was "called to become the final alternate on a jury expected to hear a major international drug case for the next three weeks." Mara "asked to approach the bench," and the judge agreed. Mara said, "My only issue, your honor, is the third week in here because we're approaching the NFL draft. It is a big, big period for us, and I need to be at my place of employment during that period. That's my only issue. If it was just two weeks, I would be OK, but the third week is problematic for me." He added, "My only other issue with that is we're in a lockout situation right now, which may or may not end at some point in time. I'm one of the lead negotiators for the owners' side, so if for some reason negotiations start again, that causes -- that causes me an issue." The judge said that he "would reconsider if there was 'a real emergency'" (AP, 4/5).
