Stevens jury sent home, deliberations halted

[L. Coyote]

By MATT APUZZO and JESSE J. HOLLAND, Associated Press Writers Matt Apuzzo And Jesse J. Holland, Associated Press Writers – 6 mins ago
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081024/ap_on_go_co/stevens_trial


Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, leaves Federal Court in Washington, Friday, Oct. 24, AP – Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, leaves Federal Court in Washington, Friday, Oct. 24, 2008, after the judge …

WASHINGTON – A judge ordered a one- to two-day halt to jury deliberations in Sen. Ted Stevens' corruption trial Friday, the latest setback in a gripping case and one that could delay a verdict until after Election Day.

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan said he wanted to accommodate a juror whose father died. The juror rushed to California early Friday morning, before jurors were set to begin their third day of deliberations.

Prosecutors asked Sullivan to bring an alternate juror onto the panel so deliberations could continue but the judge declined. The first two days of deliberations have been marked by reports of stress and violent outbursts in the jury room and Sullivan said jurors might benefit from a break.

.......

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Sounds like an hung jury.

[atreides1]

2. Or

A bought judge!

[burythehatchet]

3. I wonder if the juror who was causing the strife has been kicked off.

[ThomWV]

4. That is why they have alternate jurors

The alternatives sit there and watch the trial just like all the rest of the jurors. They are like the VP, there to be called on if the need be. Looks like right now the need be. It is not unusual, nor is it an event that will stop the trial - at worst it will delay the verdict a couple of days - but there is plenty of time left for Stevens to be found guilty before the election.

[L. Coyote]

5. Bump a juror prematurely, and you have an appealable issue.

[MiniMe]

6. I wonder how this will affect the AK Senate election

It will be interesting.