Judge declares mistrial on Mangum's (DukeLax 'stripper') felony arson charge

Raleigh News and Observer ^ | December 17, 2010 | Jesse James Deconto

[abb]

Superior Court Judge Abe Jones has declared a mistrial on the felony arson charge in the Crystal Mangum trial. The jury was split 9-3.

The jury was unanimous regarding the misdemeanor charges. Mangum was found guilty on three counts of child abuse, one for injury to personal property and one for resisting arrest.

During today's proceedings, former Durham city councilwoman and school board member Jackie Wagstaff was jailed for ten days for contempt of court in the Crystal Mangum arson trial.

She was charged with contempt after saying "This is ridiculous" while the judge was ordering the jury back into deliberation after two days of being split on Mangum's felony arson charge. Jones also ordered her to pay a $200 fine.

Jones heard the comment directly but didn't know who said it, and threatened 30 days of jail time for anyone making any further outbursts.

But bailiff Staci Ottoway identified Wagstaff as the person. Jones then called Ottoway to testify to that under oath and called for public defender Lawrence Campbell, whose office is across the hall from the courtroom, to represent Wagstaff before the judge took any action against her.

Campbell then called Wagstaff to the witness stand. Wagstaff apologized to the judge and said she made the comment as part of an ongoing conversation with fellow Mangum supporter Victoria Peterson.

snip

[JLS]

You certainly don’t owe me an apology, jagusafr. You might owe yourself some introspection if you really aay or said what you claimed at the start of hearings. [I say “or said” as the r in your signon might indicate you are retired and thus no longer holding hearing perhaps.]

If you are holding hearing still and really do say what you claimed to say, you need to think very carefully if that is a reflection of your opinion. And you need to reflect whether you need to change your view.