Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Day 11 Without A Verdict As Rumors Abound About A Deadlocked Jury

Moments before she sent the jury home for the day, Judge M. Teresa Sarmina held a closed-door conference with lawyers in the case. What they talked about is not known, because there's a continuing gag order that's been in effect since early last year that prevents lawyers in the case from talking to the  media.

When the jury filed back into Courtroom 304 shortly after 4 p.m., they looked tired and frustrated. One jury member was seen rolling her eyes when the judge talked about returning Wednesday to resume deliberations for a 12th day, as in what's the use.

In the absence of any hard facts, a room full of reporters was left to subsist on persistent rumors of a deadlocked jury. Again, nobody in any official capacity, including the judge, the prosecutors, and the defense lawyers, had anything to say, but after 11 fruitless days of deliberation, it's a logical thought.

For the second consecutive day, the formerly inquisitive jury did not ask a single question, prompting more speculation that the jury has perhaps reached the point where they have exhausted seeking help from the judge through questions about the law and requests for more documents and trial transcripts.

Meanwhile, rumors percolated around the courtroom about the absence from the defense table of Allison S. Khaskelis, the youngest member of the team of lawyers representing Msgr. Lynn. Khaskelis was recently seen sporting a new diamond engagement ring, amid rumors that she was about to leave the country to elope. She was last seen at the courthouse bidding a tearful goodbye to Msgr. Lynn.

The jury is scheduled to return at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. Stay tuned.. Khaskelis

6 comments

  1. Wish I could be in that room hearing what they are saying... Will we ever know?

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    1. Once the trial is over the gag order will be no more. Will they talk? I can't imagine everyone remaining silent. Especially since the deliberations have been going on for so long and there is obviously some disagreements. I just hope they can pull it together and convict. Although the longer it goes on, the more hope I lose.

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  2. Do you think the DA will retry the case if there is a hung jury and there is a mistrial? Do they have to? Will they retry the case in the same way or will they learn from their mistakes? Just curious as to other's thoughts.

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  3. The Federal Department of Justice needs to prosecute the bishops, in a Federal court. That's what I think. No county has the resources to go up against these guys. That's what we are seeing here, and we are not seeing what's gone on behind the scenes when the lawyers meet with the judge in camera, etc.

    This situation reminds me of how surprised the L.A. plaintiff attorneys were in 2006 or so, when they first came up against the trickster attorneys working for the L.A. Archdiocese. For example, no one can explain whatever happened to the original plan to file a class action suit in Southern California. From what I was able to learn, Church attorneys pulled tricks there as well, leaving the plaintiff attorneys with their mouths hanging open in shock.

    Dirty tricks are not new in American justice...

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  4. Eleven weeks of testimony, 2000 documents and endless emotion; no surprise to me that the deliberations are taking a while. There is a lot to process here.

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  5. I'm just guessing, of course, but I still think there will still be a number of guilty verdicts, at least one each for Lynn and Brennan.

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