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Friday, August 04, 2006
Ind. Courts - Lake County scofflaw jurors do jail time
Ruth Ann Krause of the Gary Post-Tribune reports today:
CROWN POINT — A second round of jurors who failed to meet their obligation during two high-profile murder trials faced the consequences Thursday.Lucretia Walker, who arrived late two days in a row for juror questioning in the Darryl Jeter death-penalty murder trial in May, spent three hours in a holding cell.
The Rev. Charles Jones agreed to pay a $100 fine in lieu of three hours in custody.
Two other prospective jurors will get another chance to serve.
Three people — Tiffany Finch, Tracy Kammer and Kenyon Flax — will be arrested, thrown in jail for three hours and released after they post a $100 cash bond.
Lake Superior Court Judge Thomas Stefaniak Jr. called juror scofflaws to court Thursday to explain their absence.
Curtis Johnson admitted he skipped out during a break in the Jeter jury selection and missed jury selection for the Natalie Fabian Evans murder case because he had family and work emergencies.
“In all candor, when I walked into court, it was my intention to place you in jail for contempt of court,” Stefaniak said.
The man explained, however, that he contacted jury commissioner Martin Goldman and explained his family and job emergencies. Stefaniak said the man would get another chance to serve on a jury within the next two years.
The second man, Alexander Jimenez, who will be called again for jury service, said he’d moved from his parents’ home and discovered after they returned from vacation that he was called back to court in mid-June to explain why he didn’t show up for the Jeter case.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on August 4, 2006 10:17 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts