SubscribeLibby Juror Bounced For Outside Information
From Bloomberg:
Libby Juror Dismissed; Deliberations Continue With 11
By Cary O’Reilly
Feb. 26 (Bloomberg) — A juror in the perjury case of Lewis ”Scooter” Libby was dismissed after being exposed to out-of- court information on the case. The judge decided deliberations would continue with the 11 remaining jury members.
The female juror came in contact with information about the case by accident, U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton said after discussing the situation with her, the jury foreperson and lawyers. He ruled that the juror, an art historian, could not remain on the panel.
”She did have contact with information related to this case,” Walton said in court in Washington today. ”It wasn’t intentional on her part, it was a misunderstanding of what I had been telling her throughout the trial.” …
Walton said other jurors weren’t tainted by the information learned by the dismissed juror, which he didn’t describe. To avoid the potential for a mistrial, he has instructed the jury throughout the trial not to view or listen to any news or other reports about the case.
Walton told the remaining jurors to resume deliberations. Defense lawyer Ted Wells told the judge that adding an alternate to return the panel to 12 members would require it to start over, which he said wouldn’t be fair to Libby.
By removing one juror, ”it’s not like we’re on the cliff of some mistrial,” Wells said. Walton said one of two remaining alternates could be called if another jury member is lost.
Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald said the government preferred a 12-member jury…
It’s hard to say, but it looks like the defense may be more confident about going with the cards they have been dealt than Mr. Fitzgerald is.
5 Responses to “Libby Juror Bounced For Outside Information”
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February 26th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
This inquiring mind wants to know whether it was a juror supportive of the defense (given there was no outcry from the media, I think it was) or the prosecution?
What crappola - this is not looking good for the prosecution - too long. Here’s hoping for an acquital or hung jury. Fitzgerald and the bds sufferers would go for another prosecution - if their is a mistrial.
Too many of even the prosecution ‘witnesses’ were forgetful to have a guilty verdict.
February 26th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
I bet the chief bitch at Firedogbitch.com is having a fit of the vapors as we speak.
February 26th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
Well now, isn’t it strange that the one contrarian on the jury is also the one to get the boot? My guess is that she was voting against the liberals and they had to figure a way to remove her from the jury.
The judge purged the jury of a pro-Libby vote. The fix is in.
And the dems are counting their chads again.
February 27th, 2007 at 12:25 am
“Well now, isn’t it strange that the one contrarian on the jury is also the one to get the boot?”
Was she a contrarian?
I haven’t read anything about her.
February 27th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
From the article it was “the jury foreperson” who turned this lady in to the judge, otherwise it’s several possible tainted jurors with whom she had discussed the case.
I would deduce it can only mean that this “foreperson” (woman) is tainted for discussing with the tainted juror, and the forewoman is biased for turning in a juror opposed to the forewoman’s viewpoint.
The only thing that this removed juror could bring up are items detrimental to the procecution case such as no indictment for Plame’s outing, no indictments for others perjury, the disallowed rebuttal and impeachment of Russell’s testimony.
Yes bad for the defense, and not adding a biased alternate vote is little compensation.