Prospective juror sent court profane note

BELGRADE, Mont., May 4 (UPI) -- A Montana man's profanity-laced letter to get him out of jury duty -- purportedly written by his wife -- has surfaced on several Internet sites.

Erik Slye of Belgrade, Mont., replied to a summons for jury duty Jan. 26 with a letter to the court saying he had previously explained that he could not afford to take the time off from work, the Bozeman (Mont.) Chronicle reported Monday.

Slye's wife, Jennifer, took credit for writing the letter, which was signed by her husband.

"Apparently you morons didn't understand me the first time," the letter reads. "I cannot take time off from work. I'm not putting my family's well-being at stake to participate in this crap."

The letter, which was published on Web sites including The Smoking Gun and The Drudge Report, states Slye does not "believe in our 'justice' system" and includes multiple profanities.

District Judge John Brown ordered Slye to read the letter aloud during an April 21 court appearance. Slye apologized for the letter and Brown dismissed him with a warning.