Rusty Yates Misses Jury Duty

After weeks of attending his wife's capital murder trial, Russell Yates was absent on the one day he was legally obligated to be at the courthouse.

Yates was a no-show for jury duty at the Harris County Courthouse on Monday. He went to New York City instead to appear on NBC's "Today" show in the morning, then flew cross-country for an interview on "Larry King Live" in the evening.

In doing so, Yates missed his wife's formal sentencing Monday morning and his 12:15 p.m. jury call.

"We saw him all over TV the last day or so, so we know he's preoccupied," said Harris County District Clerk Charles Bacarisse, whose office oversees the jury selection process.

"Sadly, a lot of citizens in our county miss jury duty," he said. "It's always unfortunate, but in this case it's unfortunate and ironic. It's completely bizarre."

Andrea Yates was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to two concurrent life prison terms for drowning her children on June 20.

Her husband, contacted in Los Angeles as he prepared for the King show, told the Houston Chronicle he remembered seeing a jury summons but it slipped his mind.

"I've got piles of papers at home," he said. "I'm lucky I have the electricity on, I've been so busy."

There can be penalties for skipping jury duty but the county seldom hunts people down. Bacarisse said Yates, like other citizens who miss jury duty, can call the county and get a date reset.

"What's more bizarre is that about three months ago, I got a jury summons for Andrea, too," Russell Yates said.