Summary is from this am. Since your question was already addressed please disregard; however, thought I'd post anything. Additionally, moderator asked that we not continue with eggs jokes. Carry on.
We're back. Judge Clifton Newman is addressing an allegation that a juror had improper discussions about the case. Judge says he met with the juror on the record, and the juror denied discussing the case with anyone.
Newman: Two other people were interviewed in an in-chambers, on-the-record hearing about their contact with that juror. "Both of those individuals waffled on the nature and the extent of the contact.”
Newman: "The juror has had contact or discussions concerning the case with at least three individuals, though it does not appear the discussion was that extensive." But it did involve the juror offering her opinion on evidence presented at trial.
Newman is removing that juror and replacing her with an alternate. We are down to one alternate now.
Defense attorney Dick Harpootlian isn’t happy about this juror issue and how the matter was investigated. He says SLED handled the juror investigation. One agent handling it was a witness in this case. Another was an investigator in the Murdaugh murders investigation.
Harpootlian: “It is muddled. But we would defer to your judgment. … “SLED has made another bad judgment in this case. This is just a continuum of a calamity of errors.”
Judge Newman brings out the juror by herself. “It’s going to require me to remove you from the jury. You have been, by all accounts, a great juror.” You’ve been attentive to the case and performed well.
Judge Newman: “With all the time you’ve invested in the case, you probably hate not to continue, or maybe you want to go. … I’m not suggesting you intentionally did anything wrong.”
Judge Newman asks the juror if she left anything in the jury room that she needs to retrieve before she goes. The juror says she left a dozen eggs.
Judge orders the bailiff to retrieve the woman's eggs, and her purse, from the jury room. Her identity will remain confidential. Judge Newman orders her to wait until after the case to speak publicly about it.
So that is that. The woman doesn't seem to be in any real trouble, and she will get her eggs back.
