Thursday, September 25, 2008

Joe Cool jury still out

They are coming back Monday (one of the jurors can't deliberate tomorrow, so they are taking the day off).

Apparently, people can hear shouting from the jury room....

Vanessa Blum reports on this juror question, which the defense should be happy about:

Would a South Florida man automatically be guilty of a crime for bringing his gun on board the Joe Cool charter vessel, even if he didn't know a crime was going to take place? (emphasis added)

That's what a federal jury panel in the murder-at-sea case asked the trial judge Thursday after two full days of deliberations.U.S. District Judge Paul Huck did not answer the question directly, instead referring jurors to his previous instructions on the law. The jury is still deliberating.At roughly 5:30 p.m., Huck sent home the seven men and five women with instructions to return Monday for continued deliberations. The jury was given Friday off so one juror could attend a funeral.

Interesting. Any thoughts?

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

As the Jack Thompson saga moves into the final chapter at the Federal Court, I ask will you be covering the action?

Will we get daily updates?

Anonymous said...

Shouting from the jury room?

unanswered questions?

Seemingly unable to make a decision?

they'll come back monday guilty.

Anonymous said...

"The question is too vague for us to understand."

That statement is disingenuous. The judge should have given the response requested by the defense and the prosecutor should have concurred.

Anonymous said...

This blog needs underwear ads like the ones on Rumpole's blog.

Rumpole said...

"Dear Members of the Jury. The answer to your question is absolutely yes. The Defendant is guilty. The law allows for one acquittal in federal court per district per year. We have had that acquittal already for this district. You all took oaths in which you pledged to follow the law. The law in Federal court is that all defendants are guilty, otherwise they would not be charged. Please follow the law to the best of your ability and please ignore anything I may have said or done which makes you believe I prefer one verdict or another. I do not. We await your verdict of guilt Take as long as you want. Your Pal,

Judge Huck."

South Florida Lawyers said...

What was vague about that question?

Anonymous said...

re: the Joe Cool trial - Two words for you: Michael Caruso is The Man. Wait...that's 5 words. Word. Seriously, arrogant prosecutors snickered this was a 20minute deliberation before the guilty verdict would be announced. So much for that.

Anonymous said...

Hey Rumpole, quit whining about how hard it is to win in fed court. truth is there are plenty of acquttals over here.

maybe for a hack like you it is hard to practice in an environment where the judges dont grovel and suck up to you hoping that every six years you will send them a $500 check. it also must be hard for you to try cases against a prosecutor who doesnt have 250 cases and barely has time to read his file let alone prepare.

take all your whining to state court, the judges will listen and let you go on and on espeecially if you donate to thier campaigns

Rumpole said...

I'd feel pretty comfortable betting that I try and win more cases in a year then you have ever tried.

Anonymous said...

rumpole i know who you are you have admitted it to people i know and i have seen you in court and while you are competant you aint that great.

and believe me i have tried as many cases as you have

Anonymous said...

Can I get a job with one of you great attorneys? I just got out and need money. If I have to earn it honestly I will. I hear you guys earn it honestly, something I never knew about as a law firm rainmaking POS. I know something about federal court and guilty pleas.

Anonymous said...

Anyone who says " I try and win more cases in a year ...." has a serious inferiority complex, and is insecure. Rumpole, you dissapoint. You state hack.

Anonymous said...

I agree...Michael Caruso is THE MAN!!