Juries

Doc convicted of murder gets new trial because of juror’s texts and an attempt to hide them

A doctor convicted of murdering his wife and tampering with evidence is entitled to a new trial because of a juror’s “troublesome” text messages, New York’s top court has ruled. The New York Court of Appeals reversed the conviction of Dr. Robert Neulander of Syracuse, New York, in an opinion…

Oct 25, 2019 10:25 AM CDT

Jurors reject death penalty for accused triggerman in law prof’s murder; another trial is pending

Jurors rejected Tuesday the death penalty for accused triggerman Sigfredo Garcia in the July 2014 murder of Florida State University law professor Dan Markel.

Oct 15, 2019 12:38 PM CDT

New California law allows felons who served their time to serve on juries

A new California law allows many former inmates with felony records to serve on juries. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the measure Tuesday, the Recorder reports. KTVU has previous coverage of the bill. The “Right to a Jury of Your Peers” law allows felons to serve on juries if they…

Oct 11, 2019 12:09 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Jurors award $8B in Rispderdal case; most minority partners have nonequity status

Jurors award $8B in punitive damages in Risperdal case Jurors in Philadelphia found Johnson & Johnson liable for $8 billion in punitive damages Tuesday in a case brought by a man with autism, who said the drug Risperdal had caused him to grow breasts. Nicholas Murray had taken the drug…

Oct 9, 2019 4:48 PM CDT

Murder conviction vacated on basis of ineffective lawyering that included false statements to jury

A federal judge in Indianapolis has cited ineffective assistance of counsel in vacating the 2006 murder conviction of a man accused of killing an Indiana University student.

Oct 9, 2019 11:12 AM CDT

Judge who jailed missing juror for 10 days rescinds contempt finding and sentence after backlash

Deandre Somerville has already served 10 days in jail for missing jury duty, but he won’t have to serve a year of probation and provide community service due to a change of heart by the judge. Judge John Kastrenakes of Palm Beach County, Florida, at first downgraded the sentence on…

Oct 8, 2019 11:31 AM CDT

SCOTUS opens new term with criminal law cases addressing insanity defense and unanimous juries

The U.S. Supreme Court has several blockbuster cases in its new term—on gay and transgender rights, federal immigration enforcement and gun regulation. But before it gets to any of those, the court on the first day of the term will take up two criminal law cases raising significant questions, even though only a handful of states are affected by each.

Oct 3, 2019 5:03 PM CDT

Man who didn’t show up for jury service gets jail sentence

A 21-year-old Florida man ended up in jail rather than on a jury when he didn’t show up for jury service.

Oct 3, 2019 11:54 AM CDT

Jurors convict ex-cop who shot man after entering wrong apartment; ‘castle doctrine’ is at issue

Jurors convicted Amber Guyger, a former Dallas police officer, of murder Tuesday for shooting and killing a black man after she mistook his apartment for hers.

Oct 1, 2019 12:09 PM CDT

Lawyer’s bathroom break didn’t justify removal of case from jury docket, appeals court rules

A lawyer’s bathroom break and a client’s late appearance didn’t justify a judge’s decision to remove a case from the jury docket, a Texas appeals court has ruled.

Sep 23, 2019 10:10 AM CDT

New trial ordered after judge allegedly threw pocket Constitution during voir dire outburst

The Nevada Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for a man convicted of multiple sex offenses against children because the judge in the case created an “intimidating atmosphere” during voir dire questioning of potential jurors.

Sep 10, 2019 8:00 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Defendant catches ride home with juror; House committee seeks Kavanaugh records

• Authorities are searching for an Arkansas man who caught a ride home with a juror during a recess in his shooting trial and then fled during deliberations. The juror who gave a ride to Madriekus Blakes, 32, was kicked off the case; the remaining jurors convicted the defendant of…

Aug 7, 2019 4:01 PM CDT

Jailhouse lawyer who fought nonunanimous jury verdicts helped propel issue to Supreme Court

A former jailhouse lawyer in Louisiana who had a 10th grade education identified an issue that is now before the U.S. Supreme Court: whether it is constitutional to allow nonunanimous verdicts in state criminal trials.

Aug 6, 2019 9:26 AM CDT

11th Circuit affirms removal of ‘horrifying’ juror who ‘laid on the couch,’ disrespected female jurors

A federal appeals court has affirmed a decision to remove a holdout juror from a case after he called female jurors “bitches” and referred to others as “white asses.” The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Atlanta ruled in an unpublished, per curiam opinion Monday, Law360 reports. A federal…

Jul 30, 2019 10:34 AM CDT

Judge told to stop vaping on the bench; motion claimed he was ‘constantly slurping’ on device

A common pleas judge in Cleveland has given up vaping from the bench after a request by the court’s administrative judge. Judge Joseph D. Russo of Cuyahoga County was asked to stop smoking electronic cigarettes earlier this year after a juror complained, Cleveland.com reports in a story noted by Above…

Jul 23, 2019 10:28 AM CDT