Traficant juror changes his mind; now convinced conviction was wrong

The Plain Dealer ^ | 07/20/02 | Sabrina Eaton and John Caniglia

[Ready2go]

Traficant juror changes his mind; now convinced conviction was wrong

07/20/02

Sabrina Eaton and John Caniglia Plain Dealer Reporters

Washington

- A juror who helped convict U.S. Rep. James Traficant says his vote to find the Youngstown congressman guilty of 10 felonies in April was a mistake. He says he changed his mind after watching televised testimony before a House ethics panel this week.

"I know it's after the fact, but now I believe that there's no doubt that the government was out to get him, and if they want you, they'll find enough evidence to make you believe that the Earth is flat," said Leo Glaser of Independence, who was juror No. 8 at Traficant's nine-week trial in Cleveland.

Glaser, 54, said he was swayed by the testimony of Richard Detore, a Virginia executive accused of bribing Traficant. Detore, who faces trial in October, chose not to testify in Traficant's trial because he could have hurt his own case. But he did give his version to a House ethics panel that later recommended that Traficant be tossed from his job.

Detore told the panel he hadn't tried to bribe Traficant and that the chief prosecutor in the case against Traficant, Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Morford, urged him to fabricate a story to say he overheard Traficant seeking favors from Youngstown businessman John J. Cafaro in exchange for political influence. He said his refusal to lie about Traficant resulted in his own indictment.

Morford, who was unable to present his side of the story when Detore testified in Washington, yesterday categorically denied "any improper conduct" and said Traficant brought up the same allegations last year in legal motions that were rejected by Judge Lesley Wells. He declined to comment on Glaser's statements.

Under federal law, Glaser's change of heart won't change the verdict against Traficant. Although it's unusual for jurors to change their minds after a trial, Case Western University law professor and political scientist Jonathan Entin said Traficant probably won't succeed if he tries to use Glaser's reversal to appeal the verdict, because Detore voluntarily refused to testify in Cleveland.

Madison Republican Rep. Steve LaTourette, a member of the ethics panel that recommended Traficant's expulsion on Thursday, said that Glaser contacted his office several weeks ago to discuss the case but that ethics committee lawyers barred him from talking to the juror because of his role in deciding Traficant's fate.

LaTourette said he'll ask Speaker Dennis Hastert to bring Glaser's concerns to the attention of the House of Representatives before it decides whether to eject Traficant next week.

Another ethics committee member, Cleveland Democrat Stephanie Tubbs Jones, said she wasn't sure how Glaser's statements would affect Traficant's case.

"He's certainly not the first juror to reconsider his decision after a trial," Tubbs Jones said.

Glaser, who came to public attention when a Cleveland judge dismissed a traffic citation he was issued while trying to feed a homeless man during the 1996 holiday season, said he would have voted to acquit Traficant of all charges if Detore had testified at the bribery and racketeering trial.

"It would have given me reasonable doubt," said Glaser, a design technician at the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co. who has twice run for mayor of Independence.

But other jurors said the evidence, with or without Detore's story, buried Traficant. Traficant's employees said he made them give kickbacks from their salaries and do unpaid work on his farm and boat. Local contractors said they gave Traficant bribes in exchange for assistance. Wells is scheduled to sentence Traficant on July 30.

"There was just so much evidence in the case and so many witnesses that the wealth of information against [Traficant] was overwhelming," said Jeri Zimmerman, a juror from Mentor. "I kept saying to myself, 'Please, please show me something, anything, that would make me wonder.' But [Traficant] never did. And the witnesses he called hurt him more than helped him."

Asked about Detore's testimony before the panel, Zimmerman said: "That's one person. What about the other 50 people that we saw? The government's case was overwhelming."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

seaton@plaind.com, 216-999-4212

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[big bad easter bunny]

I watched a lot of this testimony and I was surprised more Freepers to come out and say some thing. There is not one tiny doubt in my mind that he was set-up!

The two witnesses refuted many of the allegations and were extremely believable. Remember it is Traficant who is responsible for eliminating 99% of IRS foreclosures and said point blank that Reno was corrupt and that Clinton took Chicom money and that they are both traders!

I hope you all pay more attention to this in the future, he may be strange but that does not mean he is guilty!

[LarryLied]

Had Richard Detore testified at the trial, I'm convinced Trafficant would have been found not guilty. Detore's House testimony was the most convincing I've ever seen.

I haven't followed this case. I was channel surfing and caught the hearings on C-Span. Detore was riveting. NO surprise a juror who saw him would say he was wrong to convict.

[ladyinred]

Does he get to wear "it" in jail?.....just curious.

I think it is more like, Does he get to wear HIM in jail?
I am convinced that "he" is alive and living on top of his head.

[LarryLied]

Somebody else was impressed with Detore too. Wait until all the jurors see his testimony. Or maybe they have and this is just the first to admit what they all must think.

[aruanan]

Asked about Detore's testimony before the panel, Zimmerman said: "That's one person. What about the other 50 people that we saw? The government's case was overwhelming."

How difficult is it for the government to make its case "overwhelming'? We certainly saw that it was no problem during the Soviet show trials back when government was but a shadow of all that it can now be.

[staytrue]

Traficant's employees said he made them give kickbacks from their salaries and do unpaid work on his farm and boat. Local contractors said they gave Traficant bribes in exchange for assistance.

The unpaid work charge is a crock. Virtually all the congressmen have their staff do other "volunteer" work for them. As far as bribery goes, geez, they are all taking campaign donations in exchange for "assistance" Clinton said "his administration never took any action SOLELY based on a campaign contribution" or in plain english, campaign donations had a lot of influence but there were always other considerations in the decision. It may have been 1% other considerations and 99% cash, but in Clinton's view, that is not bribery.

[B4Ranch]

fella,
This is what started the tour to bringing him down.

Subject: .The Bankruptcy of The United States United States Congressional Record, March 17, 1993 Vol. 33, page H-1303
Speaker-Rep. James Traficant, Jr. (Ohio) addressing the House:
"Mr. Speaker, we are here now in chapter 11.. Members of Congress are official trustees presiding over the greatest reorganization of any Bankrupt entity in world history, the U.S. Government. We are setting forth hopefully, a blueprint for our future. There are some who say it is a coroner's report that will lead to our demise. It is an established fact that the United States Federal Government has been dissolved by the Emergency Banking Act, March 9, 1933, 48 Stat. 1, Public Law 89-719; declared by President Roosevelt, being bankrupt and insolvent. H.J.R. 192, 73rd Congress m session June 5, 1933 - Joint Resolution To Suspend The Gold Standard and Abrogate The Gold Clause dissolved the Sovereign Authority of the United States and the official capacities of all United States Governmental Offices, Officers, and Departments and is further evidence that the United States Federal Government exists today in name only.

The receivers of the United States Bankruptcy are the International Bankers, via the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. All United States Offices, Officials, and Departments are now operating within a de facto status in name only under Emergency War Powers. With the Constitutional Republican form of Government now dissolved, the receivers of the Bankruptcy have adopted a new form of government for the United States. This new form of government is known as a Democracy, being an established Socialist/Communist order under a new governor for America. This act was instituted and established by transferring and/or placing the Office of the Secretary of Treasury to that of the Governor of the International Monetary Fund. Public Law 94-564, page 8, Section H.R. 13955 reads in part: "The U.S. Secretary of Treasury receives no compensation for representing the United States."

Image: United States Congressional Record, March 17, 1993 Vol. 33, page H-1303

If he hadn't tried to educate America he would be doing just fine like the rest of the cowards in the Congress and Senate. The truth is a forbidden topic in DC.

[Lester Moore]

Intleigent, [I hate it when that happens] knowledgable people aren't allowed on jurys by defendants lawyers. I've been called for jury duty 5 times and have spent the entire time getting booted off jurys by defense attorneys.

They also boot anybody that knows the defendant, the circumstances, relatives, or that has issues with the supposed crime (like in abortion activists trials pro-lifers are booted so your jury is a jury of proaborts, similar with militia, gun rights, property rights) etc..

In short they've redefined peers to mean strangers with a predisposition to favor the states case.

[dalereed]

"In short they've redefined peers to mean strangers with a predisposition to favor the states case."

Not actually, i've always been booted by the defense, prosecuters love me.

[BJungNan]

I think Juror No. 8 has an IQ to match.

And exactly what do you know about this case?

[BJungNan]

Traficant has made a career of bribery, payoffs, intimidation, and general thuggery. Why should anyone believe that he is incapable of paying a juror to change his mind?

That is absolute BS! This is a board for thoughtful debate. Back up that statement.

[B4Ranch]

Someone else was able to find the Bill in http://thomas.loc.gov/ and said "only the first three sentences " were available.

I've got a hunch that there is a lot more here than we realize.

[SandfleaCSC]

BANG, I think you hit the nail on the head. I remember seeing this and another of his speeches on federal spending accountability. I guess they still favor killing the messenger in political circles. One positive note is that everyone knows just how fragile a house of cards is. Maybe martyring Trafficant will help pull out one of the bottom cards.

Thanks for the ping.

[Chunga]

Traficant voted not to impeach.

[StriperSniper]

Rudy will be giving his ex-wife a 6.8 million dollar settlement in his divorce. If anyone wants to explain to me how he pinched and saved that on his payroll alone, I will be glad to listen.

Not his payroll, he's got the book deals, now he's pulling down big money for speaches, and I just heard on the radio the other day that his consulting firm is getting huge contracts worldwide.

[fella]

But he made a loud noise in favor of it before the demoncrat bosses put the strong arm on him.

[ampat]

I can't wait for his book. Maybe congress will pass a law forbidding prisoners to write and publish books.

[brat]

Trafficant is a TRUE Independent. He often votes with Republicans.....that is why the DNC has harrassed him for 20 years. I don't think he's any worse than any other member....I think he's been framed. The Judge nixed most of his proofs of innocence...that alone is suspicious.