Trial of Jury

Mike Benedetti over at PieandCoffee.org has done a really commendable job of covering the Larry Cirignano case from beginning until end.  Now, he has an interview with an anonymous juror from the trial–the one who claims to have been the lone dissenting voice in the jury room.  This is some real “12 Angry Men” stuff; just a fantastic view inside the process.

Basically the judge rejected the hung jury verdict. So I come back in–and they weren’t very happy with me in the first place, cause a lot of them wanted to get in and out on Friday, quite a few of them. So at that point the atmosphere started to get hostile- ”hostile” is not the correct word, but more confrontational. Like they were clearly upset with me at that point. Cause they wanted to have the day free, they wanted to get out of there, a lot of them didn’t work, quite a few of them were retired on the jury. They just wanted to spend the day not working, they just wanted to get out of there and spend the day doing what they wanted to do: fishing, spending the day with their kids or grandkids. So they clearly weren’t happy with me at that point. It was a tough situation to be in.
After that experience–I didn’t know how long it would take to be a hung jury, and to go alone against five other people, it’s a really tough experience to describe, and you really have to have a sort of indifference to your fellow man in order to keep on fighting against the current. I mean, I think you really have to be autistic or sociopathic.

The juror says that the big debate was the definition of assault and battery, despite the fact that the judge printed up a definition.

I believe the components were: did he touch the victim, did he intend to touch her, did he have any right or excuse to touch her, and was it without her consent or could it lead to bodily harm. And I thought that fulfilled, his actions fulfilled every component of that. And so by the law, I felt he should be guilty. Some of my fellow jury members also felt that yes, he did fulfill every component of that, but they didn’t agree that was assault and battery. They thought assault and battery was when the victim ends up bloody, or beaten, or with a black eye.

It’s a fairly long interview, but definitely worth a read.  Great job, Mike.

Interview with a Cirignano Juror 

A smoke on the way

Just got this press-release from Leicester Police Chief James Hurley. Listen kids, if you’re going to drive to the police station for ANY reason, don’t smoke up until after you leave, at the least.

” Two Worcester residents were scheduled to be arraigned in East Brookfield District Court today after they were arrested Friday at the Leicester Police Department where they driven to drop off solicitor permit applications. Leicester Police Chief James Hurley stated that the incident began at approximately 4:05 PM when Garrett R. St. Cyr, 18 of 72 Wall Street #3, Worcester came into the lobby of the Leicester Police Department to drop off two applications for solicitor permits. Officers detected the odor or burnt marijuana on Mr. St. Cyr and began to investigate. As the officers spoke with Mr. St. Cyr they learned that he had been driven to the Leicester Police Department by a second male who was outside in a vehicle in the parking lot waiting. A routine check of the registration on the vehicle waiting outside to pick up Mr. St. Cyr indicated that the registered owner had a suspended driver’s license. Offices went out to speak with the operator and could smell the odor of burnt marijuana coming form inside the motor vehicle. The also confirmed the individual sitting behind the wheel was the owner whose driver’s license was suspended. A review of the Leicester Police Department’s video surveillance cameras confirmed he drove the motor vehicle into the police station lot. Police recovered a small amount of marijuana and several cans of beer from the motor vehicle. Both suspects were placed under arrest and charged as follows:

Joshua R. Kephart, 18, of 205 Canterbury Street #3, Worcester, MA

1. Operating after suspension of drivers license
2. Possession of a class D controlled substance (marijuana)
3. Minor in possession of alcohol

Garrett R. St. Cyr, 18 of 72 Wall Street #3, Worcester, MA

1. Possession of a class D controlled substance (marijuana)

Monday’s Look: The week ahead

Five things to watch for in this short holiday week:

1. Recount machinations: Does everyone lay low for the week, or do they continue to remind us, lest we forget before next Monday?
2. Like the mythical Pilgrim supper: Will everyone play nice on Tuesday night’s council meeting?  And then does Rick invite Konnie over on Thursday?  Who brings the stuffing?
3. Brosni, 146, 290, Squared:  When the improvement project started, Bill Clinton was still in his first term.  Now, we’re just excited to drive the stretch of road for kicks without feeling like a rat in some ever-changing maze experiment.
4. Dual Tax: A week off of the conversation we think; the panel will be named next month, most likely.
5. Our early issue: We come out Wednesday this week–a chance to grab the best Thanksgiving Day football preview guide in the area!