New York – A juror in the federal corruption trial of New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver asked the judge Monday if he could quit deliberations because of an unspecified conflict of interest, the second time in a week a juror has sought to get off the panel.
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The juror’s note threw the deliberations into disarray minutes after they resumed following a four-day holiday break. The panel has been asked to decide whether the 71-year-old Democrat illegally accepted $4 million in payments and earned another $1 million illegally through investments.
In the latest note, a juror wrote to U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni that he no longer wanted “to participate as a juror on this case” because he believed there was a conflict of interest that he just learned about.
Questioned later by Caproni about the possible conflict, the juror said he was a taxi driver who leases a medallion required by cab drivers to operate in the city from an individual who “associates” with Silver and may attend the same synagogue.
Caproni subsequently told the juror that “no one can ever retaliate against you for your jury service” and asked him to continue to deliberate.
“Well, I’ll do my best or whatever,” the juror replied. “I’d really prefer not to be here anymore, but if you order that, that’s what I’ve got to do.”
The judge and lawyers were deciding how to respond to the note in a way that would allow them to learn enough about the conflict to determine whether he could continue to serve.
Shortly after deliberations began last Tuesday, a juror begged in a note to be dropped from deliberations, saying other jurors were bullying her and “making me feel very, very uncomfortable.”
“My heart is pounding and my head feels weird,” she wrote. “I don’t feel like I can be myself right now! I need to leave!”
But she remained on the jury after the judge instructed jurors to be respectful to one another and to listen to and exchange views.
Silver, who maintains he did nothing wrong and will be vindicated at trial, stepped down from his post after his January arrest, but he retains his Assembly seat.
His lawyer has argued that Silver, a lawyer, was entitled to accept payments for outside work.
In another Manhattan federal courtroom, the corruption trial resumed Monday for New York’s former Senate leader, Dean Skelos. Jurors in that trial are still hearing evidence related to charges that he engaged in extortion and solicited bribes to provide hundreds of thousands of dollars for his son, who is his co-defendant. Both have pleaded not guilty.
It’s looking more and more like a mistrial or hung Jury.
oy vey, this might end up a hung jury and this ganiv will get away.
albroken, if in fact that does happen, it is Hashem who made it happen. Get over it and find something positive to focus on
I wrote 3 weeks ago this will end in hung jury…no 12 people can see him guilty
if silver walks he can go back supporting gays,,,,,,
not looking good for Shelly. According to update elsewhere, juror was afraid about repercussions for convicting. Sounds like a fair amount is in favor of convicting.
Well both Weberman and Silver’s case are based on circumstantial evidence which is more questionable and harder to prove. When Weberman was convicted most commentators stated that they have trust in out judicial system. Well if that same justice system that convicted Weberman finds Silver not guilty then you can’t complain. You can’t call Silver a ganef.
This will result in mistrial and a second full hearing for Shelly ‘the shill’, dragging him and the evidence thru the mud again. But he won’t spend a minute in gaol.
Juror’s name: Frank Pentangeli.
At least two jurors are concerned about retaliation. What does that say about Silver’s reach?
can they find him guilty on 1 or 2 counts or is it all or nothing?