Al Roker showed up for jury duty yesterday in Manhattan Criminal Court — but by the end of the day, he was the one feeling guilty.
The “Today” show weatherman touched off a tempest by taking iPhone pictures from the jury assembly room and posting them to Twitter, in contravention of courthouse rules.
One of the photos showed fellow potential jurors from the back, while in another, one potential juror’s face could be seen.
The once-portly TV personality wound up apologizing to officials in the courthouse after word about the faux pas made the rounds.
Roker acknowledged making “a mistake” but said it was “inadvertent.”
“Folks need to lighten up,” he said in a later Twitter posting. “I’m not breaking laws . . . just trying to share the experience of jury duty. One that I think is important and everyone should take part in.”
David Bookstaver, a spokesman for the state Office of Court Administration, said the picture taking and posting was “ill advised” but noted that Roker hadn’t taken any pictures in a courtroom or of any sworn jurors.
“No harm was done,” Bookstaver said, adding: “What’s more important is this shows Al came to do his civic duty, and we’re happy about that. It’s a good example that nobody’s exempt.”
He also praised the spirit of the posting. “It does a world of good to let people know about jury service and that Mr. Roker did his, just like everybody else,” Bookstaver said.
When he was called in for questioning on a case later in the day, a chastened Roker wrote, “Going back into the courtroom. iPhone buried deep in my bag.”
Roker wound up not getting picked for a panel.
“I got excused,” he told The Post. “Something in my background kind of precluded me from being on the jury.”
He referred to the Twitter to-do as “not a big deal,” but when asked if he would do the same thing again, he laughed and said, “Obviously not.”
Roker shared news of his misadventure with Anthony Marshall, whose trial on charges he tried to swindle money from late mom Brooke Astor is being held on the same floor as the lounge for potential jurors.
“How are you? So good to see you,” Marshall’s wife, Charlene, gushed when she saw Roker in the hallway and greeted him with a hug.
Roker called the pair “a nice couple.”