Two jurors expressed concerns to the trial judge Thursday after they reported being followed to their cars at the conclusion of the previous day's session by an unidentified person who copied down their license plate numbers.
Superior Court Judge William Mudd made it clear he believed it was a member of the news media and threatened to "cut off " on live, pooled television and radio coverage of the case.
The start of Thursday's court session was delayed while three jurors met individually with the judge in a closed session. Mudd opened the mid-afternoon session by revealing what the discussion was about, and what he intended to do if it happened again.
Mudd called the incident a "serious breach in the integrity of this trial."
The person who followed the jurors was "described but as yet not identified," Mudd said. The jurors reported being followed to where their cars were parked and the person wrote down their license plate numbers.
The judge reported receiving numerous notes and complaints from counsel for the news media about the high number of secret hearings.
"I would like to say it's because we drink coffee and eat doughnuts and didn't want the public to know about it," Mudd said, outside of the jury's presence. "Unfortunately, it's more serious than that."
Mudd made it clear he believed it was a member of the news media because of the amount of press interest in the case.
"My one and only concern in this case is that Mr. Westerfield get a fair trial before 12 jurors who are going to make a decision based solely on evidence they hear in the courtroom not intimidated by an outside source."
Mudd called on other members of the media to utilize peer pressure to prevent such an incident from happening again.
"I don't know who this individual is, I don't know what their motivation is," he said. "I don't know why someone would follow these jurors and get private information. But I'm telling all of you right now one thing as sure as I'm sitting here, if it happens again, the TV camera goes, the still camera goes, the live radio input is off, I will not tolerate it."
I made the mistake of listening to Bill O'Reilly tonight. He had on a DEFENSE attorney, who thinks that DW is guilty as sin because they have ALLL this blood and ALLLL this hair, and went on to exaggerate the evidence.
Bill said "well, then it looks like he is guilty".
All it took was 45 seconds of airtime, for O'Reilly to decide. Pitiful, just pitiful.
sw
Oh, Fres, dear, it appears we are closing in on August 1 here pretty quickly. Will you be providing an extra-special 666 prize for that notorious occasion? (shiver)
Mash Here =>Stealth Ninja Dave
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