Judge Arrests Former Juror Regarding Personal History Not Provided To Attorneys

Jurors are unpredictable.  While in the vast majority of cases the jurors act in an ethical manner, sometimes a juror’s actions cross the line.  Such is the case in the ongoing saga of United States v. Daugerdas, a federal tax shelter fraud case.

In Daugerdas, Southern District of New York Judge Pauley had to issue an arrest warrant for one of the jurors involved in that case to determine if a new trial was warranted.  The juror was subpoenaed to testify at a hearing.  The juror refused to appear, and was arrested by U.S. Marshals.  Apparently, the juror failed to inform the attorneys that she had a criminal history, that she was a suspended attorney, and that her husband was a convicted felon who had served seven years behind bars in New Jersey.  When finally questioned about her failure to tell the truth during voir dire, she responded that she was a fair and impartial juror.

We’ll see if the trial court agrees!

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