I remember the alternate juror, Russell something, blabbed first. He said "all 17 agreed" (among other comments) and I inferred from his comments that they had all been discussing the case before it had even been given to them. (Disclaimer: Just my take.)
This cop just said the witness tampering investigation is "ongoing" and therefore cannot give any details.
Thanks, yes, I recall the alternate talking as though he’d been sitting in on all of the deliberations which made me believe they’d discussed the case outside of court. I wasn’t sure if that rose to the level of jury misconduct though it makes sense that it would. I’ll have to do a search to see what other things constitute jury misconduct.
I believe it’s conceivable they discussed it before deliberations.
October 21, 2010
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A private investigator working for the defense is being accused of witness tampering, WFTV was told by two EquuSearch volunteers Wednesday. They said both witnesses gave similar stories.
Defense private investigator Jeremy Lyons is being accused by two EquuSearch volunteers of trying to change their testimony about searching the scene where Caylee”s remains were later found. One has already been deposed by the defense and the other has given a statement to investigators.
Lyons was in court recently examining EquuSearch records. He keeps a low public profile, but behind the scenes, he’s talking to EquuSearch volunteers who are not happy about it.
Brett Churchill and Brett Reilly, both prosecution witnesses in Casey Anthony’s murder case, feel Lyons was trying to get them to change their testimony.
“I felt in my mind, yes, he was trying to tamper with me, in a sense,” Churchill said.
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s almost like tampering with other witnesses to misrepresent the truth that way,” Reilly said.
Both say the exact area on Suburban Drive where Caylee’s remains were found December 11, 2008, was under water and unsearchable until the month before.
Churchill had already been questioned under oath by the defense for two and a half hours, but says that didn’t stop the defense investigator from going to his house and lying to him about Reilly’s story.
“He basically was asking me if what I said in my deposition was the exact story because he had others who fared differently, one of them being Brett Reilly,” Churchill said.
Reilly says he warned Lyons not to twist his words after seeing what the defense has done to others. He says Lyons promised not to, but then found out he did exactly that.
WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer says the defense investigator is traveling through dangerous territory.
“The statute specifically says you cannot engage in misleading conduct,” Sheaffer said.
Reilly said he complained to defense attorney Cheney Mason about the situation and both told the sheriff’s office.
Casey is headed back to court Friday, October 29, for a status hearing. At the hearing her defense team will ask a state agency to reconsider a recent request for thousands of dollars in funding to cover lodging and travel expenses.
The Justice Administrative Commission had previously challenged that request, saying the defense needs to prove the money is really needed for the case.
http://www.wftv.com/news/25455422/detail.html