Jurors weigh starkly different stories in John Goodman’s trial

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Sun Sentinel

Posted on Thursday, 03.22.12
Jurors weigh starkly different stories in John Goodman’s trial

Jurors began deliberations Thursday in the polo magnate’s DUI-manslaughter trial after hearing the defense and prosecution spar over the issue of proof.

By Peter Franceschina
Sun Sentinel

Following dramatic closing arguments in Wellington polo mogul John Goodman’s DUI-manslaughter trial, jurors deliberated for half an hour Thursday before breaking to begin fresh early Friday.

The prosecution and defense presented jurors with starkly contrasting versions of the events of the evening of Feb. 11, 2010, on into the following morning hours, when Goodman’s Bentley smashed into Scott Wilson’s Hyundai about 1 a.m., flipping it upside down into a canal. Wilson, 23, drowned. Goodman left the scene.

Prosecutors told jurors that Goodman, 48, began drinking about 8 p.m. at the first of two Wellington bars and continued throughout the night, to the point where his blood-alcohol level reached at least 0.2 — more than twice the 0.08 legal limit — by the time of the crash.

That alone, and the fact that the crash killed Wilson, is enough to convict him, said prosecutor Sherri Collins.


Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/22/2708724/jurors-weigh-starkly-different.html

[MADem]

1. I read the headline and thought you meant THIS guy...

Phew...!



That other guy by the same name sounds like a right shit--leaving the scene, leaving someone to drown. How despicable.

[Suich]

3. So did I! n/t

[Myrina]

9. Same here!!

I was like there for a second ...

[24601]

15. Was he a Senator? If not, he's going to jail!

[MicaelS]

2. Same guy who "adopted" his 42 yr old girlfriend

So he could protect his assets in this case.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/man-adopts-girlfriend-_n_1247607.html

[Judi Lynn]

4. We only thought we'd heard everything, apparently. Has he "outsmarted" the law? Hope not. Thnx. n/t

[Ruby the Liberal]

11. Wholey sheet.

That was a gutsy move.

I hope the jury in this case takes into account what a self-absorbed, entitled prick this asshole is and discounts whatever the defense puts up to try to justify this DUI.

[Tripod]

5. I made it through the 700 club. now I hope

[JI7]

6. he looks like he would be friends with Mitt Romney

[Downwinder]

7. It is FL. Should have claimed self defense.

The other car scared him, so he hit it.

[Burma Jones]

8. Oh for Pete's Sake, a Bentley always gets to do what it wants to a Hyundai

Everybody knows that the more expensive car gets the right of way....unless you're some kind of socialist.

Sarcasm aside, the poorly named Goodman ought to get the chance to try Prison Hooch to ease his pain.........

[saras]

14. That's not sarcasm, that's state law (but not worded quite so bluntly)

and there's no exception for socialists.

<there was more, but it turned into a song so i took it out and kept it. Sorry>

[MicaelS]

10. Jury finds Goodman guilty

Jury finds polo mogul John Goodman guilty in Florida DUI crash

A jury on Friday found John Goodman, a South Florida polo mogul, guilty of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide in the Feb. 12, 2010 crash that killed Scott Wilson.

Police say a drunken Goodman, the founder of the International Polo Club Palm Beach, rammed his black Bentley convertible into Wilson's car two years ago, causing it to roll into a canal. Goodman is accused of leaving the scene and waiting nearly an hour to call 911 as Wilson died.

Goodman is facing up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced on April 30.

Great, lets hope Goodman gets the maximum, and Wilson's family takes him to the cleaners.

[Ruby the Liberal]

12. Sweet. Thanks for the update.

All kinds of good news being trotted out this day.

[Judi Lynn]

13. Wonderful to see he wasn't able to dodge them this time. Thank you, so much! n/t