Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, the jury commissioner may, with approval of the presiding justice of the superior court, select jurors from the registered voters of the several cities and towns as deemed necessary by the jury commission for the several counties of the state by means of the use of electronic data processing equipment, now or hereafter owned or leased by the state of Rhode Island, whenever the secretary of state shall certify to the jury commissioner that the equipment has been furnished with the names of all persons who are registered voters in the cities and towns. In such event, the jury commissioner shall supervise the electronic data processing machine operator in order to carry out the drawing in such a way that neither the jury commissioner nor the operator of the device shall be able to determine any name until the name has actually been drawn. After the drawing has been carried out in accordance herewith, the jury commissioner shall cause the electronic data processing machine operator to have the electronic data processing machine compile a list, by county, randomly mixing the names so drawn. Members of the public and press shall be admitted to the place of electronic data selection, to the extent that space and area may allow.
History of Section.
P.L. 1975, ch. 239, § 1; P.L. 1979, ch. 123, § 1; P.L. 1992, ch. 13, § 2.