|
Simpson juror dismissed; deliberations begin anew
January 31, 1997
Web posted at: 2:30 p.m. EST
SANTA MONICA, California (CNN) -- The only African-American on the jury of the O.J. Simpson civil trial was dismissed Friday and deliberations were ordered to start over with a new juror -- an Asian-American man in his 30s.
The dismissed juror -- a widow in her 60s -- was removed from the panel because of a failure to disclose that her daughter is a legal secretary in the offices of Gil Garcetti, the Los Angeles County district attorney who tried Simpson in the criminal trial.
Superior Court Judge Hiroshi Fujisaki learned the information Thursday through an anonymous letter, sources told CNN. He then summoned her to his chambers Friday morning, where he dismissed her, reportedly over the objections of lawyers for the families suing Simpson.
The dismissal comes on what would have been the fourth day of deliberations.
Before the dismissal was announced, the remaining 11 jurors and four alternates were brought into the courtroom and seated in the jury box.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, a juror has been excused for legal cause," Fujisaki told them. The new juror was then selected by lottery.
Petrocelli wanted jury sequestered
Before jurors were brought to the courtroom, plaintiff's attorney Daniel Petrocelli argued the jury should be sequestered for the remainder of deliberations but the judge rejected it.
"This being a civil case, the court doesn't know what authority the court has to do that," Fujisaki said.
A grim-faced Petrocelli told him, "These jurors are going to be subjected to an extraordinary blast of publicity about their deliberations. I'm very concerned about this. We don't want a mistrial."
The families of Simpson's former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, filed the civil lawsuit against Simpson after he was acquitted of their slayings in criminal court in 1995. If found liable for the June 12, 1994, killings he could be ordered to pay millions.
Related stories and sites
|
Tell us what you think! You said it... |
|
© 1997 Cable News Network, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.