Jurors did not reach a verdict today in Sonoma County Supervisor Efren Carrillo’s misdemeanor peeking trial. The split was 11-1, and it was not indicated in which favor. Jurors will return Monday to continue deliberation.
The news comes at the end of an usual day in the courtroom. Members of the jury were contacted twice this week by a member of the press, judge Gary Medvigy said Friday. The jurors each said the contact did not impact their deliberations, and Medgivy allowed the trial to proceed after an hour of individual juror interviews. The highly unusual incident did, however, promot outrage from defense attorney Chris Andrian.
“I think it’s more than contempt of court, I think it may be a felony,” he told the judge. “It makes this whole thing sound like a circus more than a courtroom.”
Two jurors reported being approached by a man whom they later understood to be a reporter. One woman who said she was wearing her juror badge at the time, said she was asked her occupation and if she worked full time on the first day of trial by the man.
Another woman was asked on the jury’s lunch recess, “Is there a verdict in the Carrillo case?” She responded that she was not allowed to talk about the case. “Based solely on appearance, he was a member of the press,” she told the judge.
The jury reportedly had reached a verdict just before the noon recess, but Judge Medvigy elected to wait until court resumed at 1:30 to hear the verdict. One juror changed his or her mind just before court resumed, Medgivy said.
The jury is scheduled to resume deliberations at 10:45 Monday morning. Follow @NicolasGrizzle on Twitter for updates.
