Lizzo appeared for jury duty on Wednesday at the United States Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles for an assault on a federal officer case but was excused by prosecutors.
Lizzo’s Courthouse Appearance
The 37-year-old singer took her civic responsibility seriously, posting videos and photos of her ‘jury duty fit’ on Instagram. She shared a carousel captioned ‘Jury Duty & Dinner,’ featuring a sophisticated all-black ensemble. The outfit included a black top from her Yitty line tucked into custom silk black pants by Sami Miro, layered with a long Saint Laurent coat, a Chanel pearl necklace, and black Louboutin heels. Lizzo also posted a selfie holding her jury summons.
Reporter Brittny Mejia noted on social media: ‘Apparently @lizzo was a potential juror for an assault on a federal officer case I’m covering in federal court downtown. (She was struck from the jury by prosecutors). So L.A.’
Factors in Dismissal
While celebrities must respond to jury summonses, high-profile status often leads to dismissal during selection to avoid influencing the trial or other jurors. Lizzo’s past comments on policing may have factored in, given the case’s nature.
In 2020, she joined celebrities signing an open letter advocating to defund U.S. police departments. Lizzo elaborated on Instagram: ‘”Defund the police sounds radical until you realize we’ve been defunding education for years” ➖ Abolish the police does NOT mean Abolish law enforcement. ‘Defund the police means give some of those BILLIONS of tax dollars to healthcare/workers, social services, communities that need funding, education etc.. we can reimagine a better country where law enforcement does what it’s supposed to do!”
Fan Reactions and Celebrity Precedents
Fans reacted with humor online. One joked, ‘Imagine walking into court and Lizzo is giving you 15 to life.’ Another quipped, ‘Lol having jury duty as a celebrity is so funny. How was the trial? It was great! Oh so you got off? Nah I’m guilty but Lizzo was on the jury.’ Comments included ‘Imagine doing jury duty with Lizzo lol’ and ‘Slayed your honor.’
Not all stars get dismissed. Oprah Winfrey served on a first-degree murder jury in Chicago in 2004, later reflecting to Vogue: ‘It’s a huge reality check—when your life intersects with others in this way, it is forever changed.’ Brad Pitt was excused in 2014 as a potential distraction. Others summoned but struck include Taylor Swift, Madonna, former President Donald Trump, and former President Barack Obama.
