Safavian deliberations postponed, judge considers possible juror misconduc

[deminks]

http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=5027264&nav=HMO6

WASHINGTON A federal court jury in the first trial of the Abramoff lobbying scandal has been sent home, four hours after beginning deliberations.
The judge is deciding whether to dismiss a juror for misconduct.

Former Bush administration official David Safavian (suh-FAY'-vee-uhn) is charged with concealing from ethics officials and investigators that he assisted Republican influence-peddler Jack Abramoff's efforts to obtain two government properties.

Prosecutors argue a female juror should be dismissed because she disregarded the judge's instructions on several occasions and told other jurors she had talked with her father about an issue brought up in trial.

The defense opposes replacing the juror and says the judge should just give jurors a stiff warning to stop all outside discussions.

[Eugene]

1. A little more info...

and a kick for the morning.

Juror Misconduct Delays Abramoff Trial

By MICHAEL J. SNIFFEN, Associated Press Writer

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

<snip>

Prosecutors argued that a female juror disregarded the judge's instructions
on several occasions and told other jurors Tuesday she had discussed the costs
of a golf trip to Scotland with her father. Safavian's expenses for an August
2002 golf trip to Scotland arranged by Abramoff have been an issue in trial
testimony.

The defense opposed replacing the juror with the only alternate juror and said
Friedman should instead just give jurors a stiff warning to stop all outside
discussions.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/06/14/national/w005907D14.DTL