Defense in ACC-Johnson Utilities bribery case claims new trial needed
by Howard Fischer | Capitol Media Services
The admission by a juror in the Arizona Corporation Commission bribery trial that she made some notes at home and brought them to deliberations could lead to a new trial even after all the testimony has been heard.
In new legal filings Monday, attorneys for the defendants urged U.S. District Court Judge John Tuchi to question not only the juror about her notes but the other 11 with whom she may have shared them during ongoing deliberations. They want to know if jurors have been “infected” by outside information.
And Patricia Gitre, the attorney for Gary Pierce who crafted the request, said federal law requires more than just an inquiry. She told the judge that a new trial is required when jurors have information from outside the court that could affect the verdict.
