SBI probe into possible juror misconduct

[Madeleine74]

I am not a judge, but I heard that I am scary enough to handle doing it if any court wants to hire me

Start practicing your, "Go ahead....make my day!" with the requisite snarl.

 

[MyBelle]

How will you ever find someone who agrees to be a juror if you spy on them? I can't see that being approved, or ending well.

I remember the Cooper foreman, didn't he say his wife would cut the articles out of the newspaper before she handed it to him? If only it weren't so difficult to find honest people like that man, and to be able to trust those called to keep their word.

In most states, civic duty is an expected obligation whether it be jury duty or election duty, you answer if you are called or risk the legal consequences.
I certainly don't believe it is all that difficult to come up with a jury comprised of honest folks.

JMO

 

[Wolfpack]

In most states, civic duty is an expected obligation whether it be jury duty or election duty, you answer if you are called or risk the legal consequences.
I certainly don't believe it is all that difficult to come up with a jury comprised of honest folks.

JMO

There aren't many judges that will force you to serve on jury duty if you can't do your job as a juror, and have no desire to be there and enforce the law, or flat out say you don't want to serve. People get out of jury duty all the daggone time, for just about any reason.

If you refuse to have your stuff monitored, what attorney or prosecutor is going to want you on their case?

 

[MyBelle]

There aren't many judges that will force you to serve on jury duty if you can't do your job as a juror, and have no desire to be there and enforce the law, or flat out say you don't want to serve. People get out of jury duty all the daggone time, for just about any reason.

If you refuse to have your stuff monitored, what attorney or prosecutor is going to want you on their case?

It's not a choice in my state. If you can drive, you can serve on a jury and if you can't serve on that particular day, you'll be called back another day. Jurors take an oath to follow the rules. I doubt either attorney or the Judge knows in advance that a juror intends to break the rules.

The rules are not all that difficult to follow and folks that fail to do so, should expect consequences.

JMO

 

[hindsight2020]

On Monday, @11:27am Beth Karas posted the following on FB:

Beth Karas InSession
Correction: The first jurors to examine the clothes were from the front row. Now three jurors from the back row (jurors 1, 2, and 5) are looking at them. So, 7 of the 12 jurors opted to inspect the clothes; 5 remained in their seats in the jury box.
Like · · Share · Monday at 11:27am via mobile ·

A person on FB posted the following at Noon Monday according to WRAL:
"My hairdresser is friends with a jury member on the JY trial. They are now deadlocked at 9 Guilty 3 Not Guilty. It was 7 Not Guilty 5 Guilty!" according to one message posted around noon Monday.

^^^This may well be where the 7-5 information was derived from.

Some people are just plain idiots, we'll see what the investigation reveals.

 

[Turnadot]

I'm confident that the SBI's investigation will reveal these allegations to be a whole lot of nothing. All hope is lost for Jason Young, IMO. He's right where he belongs, spending the rest of his pathetic life in prison.

 

[cody100]

On Monday, @11:27am Beth Karas posted the following on FB:

Beth Karas InSession
Correction: The first jurors to examine the clothes were from the front row. Now three jurors from the back row (jurors 1, 2, and 5) are looking at them. So, 7 of the 12 jurors opted to inspect the clothes; 5 remained in their seats in the jury box.
Like · · Share · Monday at 11:27am via mobile ·

A person on FB posted the following at Noon Monday according to WRAL:
"My hairdresser is friends with a jury member on the JY trial. They are now deadlocked at 9 Guilty 3 Not Guilty. It was 7 Not Guilty 5 Guilty!" according to one message posted around noon Monday.

^^^This may well be where the 7-5 information was derived from.

Some people are just plain idiots, we'll see what the investigation reveals.

That is interesting. That may be true. I wonder where the 9 to 3 came from though. I certainly will agree with some people being "plain idiots."

 

[ohiogirl]

Considering the Judge has requested the SBI conduct a criminal investigation, I think there is more to it than just a rumor. The Judge made it clear to the jurors they were not to communicate with anyone about the case. He wants to know the extent of it, which is why he's investigating all of them, imo.

Do you really think this will result in a mistrial? Not likely, jmo.

 

[ohiogirl]

OT but still interesting

Drew Peterson defense team is trying to come up with ways to prevent or monitor Internet and social media use by jurors.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/03/07/attorney-internet-use-could-bias-jury-in-peterson-case/

They can try that all they want to , but I see the things they are proposing as extremely intrustive and don't think that any jury could ever be seated if they resort to these methods. jmo

 

[ohiogirl]

It's not a choice in my state. If you can drive, you can serve on a jury and if you can't serve on that particular day, you'll be called back another day. Jurors take an oath to follow the rules. I doubt either attorney or the Judge knows in advance that a juror intends to break the rules.

The rules are not all that difficult to follow and folks that fail to do so, should expect consequences.

JMO

And there are those who will try to sabotage their call to service in any way they can. The judicial system will have to weed these people out.

 

[cody100]

I have no idea what the outcome of this investigation will be. If there is anything to it at all, it will depend on whether it was one way communicating or two way communicating. If it is a mistrial, I have no idea where they can take this case to get another trial where no one knows anything about it. It has been all over the news nationally. I do not envy JS if this turns out to have credibility.

 

[Peliman]

Watched a local news report this morning that made mention of this juror. They reported apparently the juror sent a text message during deliberations. A problem would occur if the messages he received back would influence jury deliberations and that hasn't been determined yet. I'll post a link if the story goes online.

That's the jest of the report.

 

[Talina]

Watched a local news report this morning that made mention of this juror. They reported apparently the juror sent a text message during deliberations. A problem would occur if the messages he received back would influence jury deliberations and that hasn't been determined yet. I'll post a link if the story goes online.

That's the jest of the report.

Are they regurgitating what the allegation is that is being investigated or are they reporting that SBI has determined that a juror, did in fact, send a text message out?

 

[Talina]

http://www2.nbc17.com/news/2012/mar...-jason-young-juror-possible-misco-ar-2010958/

Raleigh attorney Hart Miles says it is unlikely the matter would cause the case to be tried for a third time.

"It's unlikely," Miles said. "Judge Stephens will make sure there is a thorough inquiry. But it's in his discretion. There has to be substantial prejudice for the verdict to be set aside."

 

[Peliman]

Are they regurgitating what the allegation is that is being investigated or are they reporting that SBI has determined that a juror, did in fact, send a text message out?

I posted what I heard, how much is truth or regurgitation is always subject to the actual results. It was a short report and I don't know the particulars.

 

[Talina]

I posted what I heard, how much is truth or regurgitation is always subject to the actual results. It was a short report and I don't know the particulars.

BBM

This is true.

Perhaps I misunderstood your post. I read it to mean that the news was reporting it to be factual that the juror did send out the text. I was under the impression that whether or not this did actually occur is still being investigated so your post made me wonder if there had been progress made in the investigation.

 

[Peliman]

BBM

This is true.

Perhaps I misunderstood your post. I read it to mean that the news was reporting it to be factual that the juror did send out the text. I was under the impression that whether or not this did actually occur is still being investigated so your post made me wonder if there had been progress made in the investigation.

In all honesty I did take it from the report that the juror had sent a text but how factual that is I have no idea. It seemed the key to the story was IF the juror received a text in return and did it influence that juror.

Just the way I took it, I can't speak to the actual facts.

 

[cody100]

I am confident the SBI is still investigating. These things can take a few days to week(s). MOO

 

[Talina]

I am confident the SBI is still investigating. These things can take a few days to week(s). MOO

That's what I am inclined to think as well. I am wanting a very thorough investigation so that there is absolutely no question or aspersions later that anything was swept under the rug if their report concludes there was no jury misconduct.

If there was misconduct, then I want it to be thoroughly investigated so that everyone knows for sure and can be certain that it had no influence on the verdict if that ends up being how Judge Stephens rules.

At this point, I'm confused what would happen if it is determined that the misconduct did play a role in the outcome of the verdict.

I've seen conflicting reports from attorneys that should know. I've seen it stated that there can not be a mistrial at this point since the trial has concluded but that a motion can be made for a retrial. If that happens and Judge Stephens denies the motion then the DT can appeal the motion.

Then I've seen it stated that the outcome of the investigation, regardless of what the determination ends up being, goes straight to the appeals court for motion for the verdict to be thrown out and new trial ordered.

I hope someone on this forum in the know of what the process would be can pipe in here and tell us.

Thanks!

 

[cityslick]

I don't think anything is going to come out of it either, except perhaps a contempt charge if it gets that far. Now, if this had come out over the weekend, before the verdict was read....well that's a whole different situation then.