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| Jury Foreman Asks That Juror in Stevens Trial Be Removed |
| 2008-10-24 |
| The foreman of the jury in Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens's corruption trial asked today that a juror be removed following "violent outbursts" with other jurors and her refusal to "follow the rules and laws" during deliberations. In a note to the judge, the foreman said he represented the views of 10 other jurors in requesting that the juror, identified only as No. 9, be removed from the panel. He also described her as "rude, disrespectful and unreasonable." But U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan declined. He read the note in court and summoned the panel into the courtroom for what he called "a pep talk." He told the jurors to act with civility and sent them back to deliberate in the first trial of a sitting U.S. senator in more than two decades. Stevens (R) is charged with lying on financial disclosure forms to hide receipt of more than $250,000 in gifts and renovations to his home in Girdwood, Alaska. Jurors listened to a month of testimony from more than 40 witnesses and began deliberations yesterday. |
| Posted by:Fred |