CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The informational video played for jurors in Cook County for well over 25 years could be on the verge of being replaced with a new TV reporter narrating it.
If you've served as a juror in Cook County, there is no doubt you've done a double-take recognizing NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt, who was a reporter/anchor for CBS 2 for 14 years between 1986 and 2000, as the narrator of the jury informational video. He's much grayer and clean-shaven now.
Holt's part of the video begins with, "Hello, I'm Lester Holt and today I'm going to lead you through the process of serving on a jury...
"The judge, and possibly the attorneys will ask you questions to determine if you can keep an open mind and be fair. Although the questions may get personal, no one will try to embarrass you."
But on Tuesday, the Illinois Supreme Court unveiled a new jury orientation video recorded for courts statewide. It is narrated by NBC 5 Chicago reporter Lisa Parker.
"Welcome to jury service. For most of you, receiving summons in the mail was a...wonderful surprise...
"One of the things that keeps us free, as a nation, is you. You. You. You. You, the juror," the video goes on to say.
But according to the Sun-Times, no decision has yet been made if the Lisa Parker narrated video will replace the Lester Holt video in Cook County.
"We found that many circuits in Illinois didn't have a jury orientation video," Cook County Judge Celia Gamrath said in a news release by the Illinois Supreme Court.
"Also, some of the videos out there had become dated."
