CAMERON BROWN UPDATE: Judge reminds 'Indifferent' juror of his responsibility
Denise reporting from downtown:
The downtown Los Angeles courtroom where the Cameron Brown trial is being heard was like a junior high school classroom this morning, with all sorts of notes being passed around.
The downtown Los Angeles courtroom where the Cameron Brown trial is being heard was like a junior high school classroom this morning, with all sorts of notes being passed around.
After what happened on Friday with the jury indicating they were pretty
much deadlocked, I figured it would be a good idea to come down today and see
what's going on. The morning began with a note from the jury asking if they can
consider their "feelings" as they related to the site visit at Inspiration Point
in their deliberations. As the attorneys and Judge Michael Pastor were finishing
up discussions on the issue, another note emerged. This time, it had to do with
what to do with a juror who no longer has an open-mind and wants to be replaced.
Moments later, another note -- this one regarding a juror having a medical
appointment Wednesday.
The juror situation proved to be the most detrimental and difficult to
solve. First, the jury foreman came out and told Pastor that Juror #4 refused to
participate in the deliberations and wanted to be excused and replaced by an alternate.
Then, Juror #4 came out. With his arms crossed over his chest and with a
gruff voice, he told Pastor he has participated, but he is getting to the point
of feeling "indifferent."
"I have a no care attitude at this point," he said.
Pastor reminded him of the significance of the matter and his
responsibility in upholding his job as a juror.
But pressed further, the juror said he couldn't say what was really wrong
without revealing anything about the deliberations -- a slippery slope the
attorneys and judge knew they had to avoid.
However, after further pushing, the juror relented and said he would "do
what's necessary" to continue.
"I guess the point is when you've made up your mind, it's just made up," he
said.
On his way out of the jury box to go back to the deliberation room, he
slammed a couple chairs.
Deputy District Attorney Craig Hum argued the juror should be excused,
while defense attorney Pat Harris disagreed and argued he should remain.
"This juror is angry," Pastor said, but found that deliberations can be
frustrating and that there were no legal grounds to dismiss the juror.
Regarding the jurors' question about Inspiration Point, which they visited
the day before closing arguments, Harris and Hum disagreed with how to answer
that. In the end, Pastor sent them a note that said they were to consider the
site visit as evidence and they were to use their common sense and judgment in
evaluating observations, opinion and conclusions. Feelings, in the form of
visceral emotions, were not appropriate to consider.
Deliberations are continuing...
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Thanksk for the updates.
What-a-baby! Idiot Juror..just man up and continue with the deliberations! I tell you people are such "Pansys" now a days.
Lauren deserves better than that. It seems as if this juror is trying to cause a mistrial. They should arrest juror #4 and put him in jail until he agrees to cooperate.