"People can act badly enough to void their right to a jury of 12, New York's highest court found. In a unanimous Nov. 20 ruling, the Court of Appeals said that criminal defendant Derek Sargeant forfeited that right by confronting a jury foreperson outside their home as part of a pressure campaign to get them to vote not guilty."
"Queens Supreme Court Justice Gene Lopez adjourned deliberations and ordered the parties to return the next day. But on the afternoon of Jan. 24, the court received word that someone confronted the jury foreperson in front of their home to insist that Sargeant is innocent. The foreperson said interaction made him feel threatened and that he feared for his family's safety."
The Court of Appeals issued a unanimous Nov. 20 ruling that Derek Sargeant forfeited his right to a 12-member jury by confronting a jury foreperson outside the foreperson's home as part of a pressure campaign to secure a not-guilty vote. Sargeant was on trial in January 2019 for alleged assault of a 20-year-old paid escort and illegal weapons possession. During deliberations, defense counsel reported Sargeant suffered a severe migraine and could not participate; the judge adjourned until the next day. After the foreperson reported feeling threatened and was dismissed, deliberations continued with 11 jurors and resulted in convictions, which were affirmed on appeal.
Read at www.amny.com
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