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Missing Stevens' Juror Lied About Father's Death
And it gets better. . . she lied so she could attend a horse race.
From Roll Call:
The juror who was dismissed from the criminal trial of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) to attend the funeral of her father in California admitted Monday that her father had not died, and that she went to California to attend a horse race.
We'll have more on this as it develops.
Late update. . . 12:55 pm: Roll Call expands on the story coming out of the hearing today. The juror, who had been replaced by an alternate, appeared "disheveled and confused" and held a "thick stack of dog-eared papers" when she appeared before judge Emmet Sullivan this morning, telling him that she had purchased tickets to the horse race in the spring:
Hinnant then began to tell a convoluted story about criminal activity in the horse racing industry, alleging that her phone had been tapped and that someone she once worked with in the industry was involved in crime and drugs.The judge attempted to dismiss her, but Hinnant continued to tell her tale, ultimately asking the judge, "Can I have a case of my own?"
Sullivan suggested that she take that up with the federal public defender, whom he had appointed to represent her at today's hearing.
Sullivan told her that he was simply concerned for her well-being, and that seeing that she was fine, he was satisfied that she would not have been able to complete deliberations with the rest of the jury. He did not suggest any sanction for her actions.
After Hinnant left the courtroom, Sullivan told the attorneys in Stevens' case that he had dismissed her because she was unable to continue to serve on the jury, and "what you heard today just reinforces the correctness of the court's decision."
Robert Cary, one of Stevens' lawyers, said "we don't necessarily agree with the court's findings," and the judge invited both sides to file briefs on the issue.
Josh
Zachary
Maybe it's something in the water, up there.
November 3, 2008 12:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wasn't the trial in D.C.? We know there are smoking guns choking the Potomac; you mean that water?
November 3, 2008 12:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is as solid as it gets for a mistrial at this point. The appeal process should take all of 5 seconds. Literally. In fact, I bet the juror goes to jail now instead.
Too bad Stevens will have lost his re-election by then.
November 3, 2008 12:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wasn't that part in a movie with John Cusack?
November 3, 2008 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't judges check the obituary pages or something? Why didn't he get on "the series of tubes" and see if this man was actually dead???????
November 3, 2008 12:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, they do check. Speaking from personal experience, the Judge who I clerked for checked on people's excuses. It would be especially true in the case of a big case.
November 3, 2008 12:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
It could spoil the remake of The Shawshank Redemption, where Stevens crawls out through the Internet.
November 3, 2008 12:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
"It could spoil the remake of The Shawshank Redemption, where Stevens crawls out through the Internet."
Best. Comment. Ever.
November 3, 2008 1:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
But this juror was replaced, and the new full jury took up deliberations over again, supposedly from square one. If I'm recalling correctly, the other 11 jurors were already asking to have that juror expelled, before the whole "funeral" thing came up. . .
So, where would Stevens have an appeal?
November 3, 2008 12:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Two different jurors. The troublemaker stayed on the jury through the end of the case. This was a different juror, and as it happens, her misconduct is unlikely to have much effect. From the WashPost's write-up this morning:
November 3, 2008 12:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think that changes the appeal landscape, at all. The juror was gone, regardless of reason, and replaced with an alternate.
It sounds to me, from afar, that prosecutorial misconduct is a more fertile ground for his appeal.
I wonder how the juror did at the track?
November 3, 2008 12:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
It could spoil the remake of The Shawshank Redemption, where Stevens crawls out through the Internet.
November 3, 2008 12:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Alaska ... the new Arkansas !!
November 3, 2008 12:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm stunned that the judge didn't even check out the juror's excuse.
I knew something smelled funny when they never heard again from the juror.
November 3, 2008 12:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
I get the impression from reading the above story that the judge's real reason for dismissing her was that he didn't believe she was competent to be part of deliberations, regardless of whether he believed her story or not.
November 4, 2008 12:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
Um, purjury much? I'm sure she must have had to make an attestation as to the reason she needed to be excused from the jury.
I'm starting to get the feeling that "up there in Alaska", they think our system of justice is optional.
November 3, 2008 12:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
All you folks saying that this is some Alaska thing, you're aware that the trial was in Washington, DC, right? That the jurors were Washington, DC residents, not Alaskans, right?
I'm as much a foe of Stevens and his crap as anyone, but please, know what you're talking about before you post comments...
November 3, 2008 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Double that, Jason.
Commentors should check on that location, location, location thing.
The entire state is getting (unfairly) hammered because of Uncle Ted and Simple Sarah. Imagine how we've looked to "outsiders" all these years because we were being repped by the Village Idiot and the Puppeteer on the world stage.
November 3, 2008 12:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Alaska may be getting a bad rap on the specific complaints, but face it. Alaska has also sent Representative Don Young to Congress for 34 years, as well as electing the clearly unqualified Sarah Palin as Governor. We should also not forget the other Senator, Lisa Murkowski, who is not much better than Ted Stevens, just a lot younger and not yet indicted.
Alaska reminds me a lot of Southern Louisiana Parish (equivalent to county) governments from the 50's and 60's, or Texas' Duval County back when they sent the extra ballot box to Austin in the Texas Democratic Primary, thus electing "Landslide" Lyndon Johnson to the Senate by 87 votes. Texas was a rural state then, as much of Louisiana is even today. Alaska has a long way to go before it becomes even as civilized as Louisiana, assuming it ever does.
November 3, 2008 4:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's the most crazy ass thing I've heard lately. When I was a kid I was doing demolition in NYC, and one of the guys who I knew very well, made up a story about how he needed a few days off because his brother had died. He was pouring it on way to thick and I almost lost it, as a matter of fact I did lose it, I had to hide my face and pretend I was sneezing. I cracked up when my friend gazed forward and said" God rest his soul".
This juror should be locked up for unbridled stupidity. Crazy!
November 3, 2008 12:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Is it tougher or easier to lie in Alaska?
November 3, 2008 12:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just from the way the woman behaved today, it sounds like she should have been off the jury for mental illness anyway. She sounds a bit unhinged.
November 3, 2008 1:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
So she likes the ponies. C'mon people, we've all been there...
Hinnant then began to tell a convoluted story about criminal activity in the horse racing industry, alleging that her phone had been tapped and that someone she once worked with in the industry was involved in crime and drugs.
Or not.
November 3, 2008 1:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is clear evidence that Senator Stevens is innocent. The prosecution probably bought the tickets for her. Who knows what kind of pressure they put on those other poor jurors. I may just have to pardon the Senator because of this stuff.
November 3, 2008 2:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're so right, as always!
November 4, 2008 12:17 AM | Reply | Permalink