Judge Reportedly Closes Juror Contempt Hearing to Public & Gov't. Lawyer
A planned contempt hearing today for an unidentified juror accused of violating the judge’s instructions by watching a YouTube video about a reckless homicide case apparently went forward as scheduled.
But both the public and a government lawyer in the reckless homicide case weren’t permitted to attend, reports the Louisville Courier-Journal.
I don’t know what went on in there,” said Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Erin White, who has been seeking a mistrial in the case involving defendant Donald Fielder. “I’ve never had a hearing like this at all before.”
Although the matter was docketed as a contempt hearing, Jefferson Circuit Judge Susan Schultz Gibson said, in response to an objection by the Courier-Journal’s own lawyer, Jon Fleischaker, that it wasn’t an official hearing, according to the newspaper.
The judge also said she had decided not to hold any juror in contempt, the newspaper reports.
