TV, newspapers for locked-up jury

ANOTHER alternate juror was sent home yesterday and this prompted Justice Mark Mohammed to hold an in-camera inquiry with all the jurors to find out if they were experiencing problems while sequestered at a Port-of-Spain hotel. The Port-of-Spain Third Criminal Court was cleared as the judge addressed the nine-member panel and the three remaining alternates. One alternate was sent home on Thursday, and yesterday, a female alternate followed. The media was allowed to stay in court and Justice Mohammed asked the jurors to speak their minds, pointing out that whatever they said would not be reported in the media. A litany of problems surfaced which had everyone in the court spellbound by the complaints of the jurors.

Even the lawyers, Pamela Elder SC and Sir Timothy Cassel QC expressed surprise at how the jurors were being treated in sequestration. The jurors took turns in complaining about the treatment. When Justice Mohammed heard the complaints, the jurors were sent to the jury room. He then heard from the Registrar of the Supreme Court Evelyn Petersen and Deputy Registrar Robin Mohammed. Both Elder and Cassel addressed the court during the in-camera proceedings. Justice Mohammed then met privately with the Registrar and found a way to meet the jurors half-way. The jury was recalled and Justice Mohammed informed them that some of their complaints were sorted out. He even told them that they were getting some things  which they had not asked for. He hoped that conditions would improve this weekend.

Television sets which were removed from their hotel rooms last month will be returned. The jurors will be allowed to watch both foreign and local channels, including the coverage of the trial. The jurors will also receive the unedited version of the three daily newspapers with the coverage of the trial. Before, the jurors got one daily newspaper with the trial reports removed. Justice Mohammed also announced additional measures which he hopes would satisfy the jurors. He pointed out that a sequestered jury will always experience some inconvenience. He said sequestration was a challenging experience for all jurors.

“If you place 14 persons and confine them for an extended period, challenges are likely to appear as time goes by. You are not the first jury in Trinidad and the world to be sequestered and you will not be the last.” Justice Mohammed said at the beginning of the trial, he asked all the potential jurors who had a problem with possible sequestration to apply for exemption. “Jury duty is an important civil responsibility. Try to do it to the best of your ability. No criminal trial can take place without a jury. The important people in a case are not the lawyers, not the judge, but you, the jury,” he added.

Mohammed pointed out that although the jury would now be exposed to television and newspapers, he warned them to listen to the evidence in court and from no other source. He said he was glad that the problems were brought to the table. “Sequestration is no easy thing. There would always be issues, always be concerns,” the judge added. After the two-hour session, smiles broke out on the faces of the jurors again. Sgt Wayne Dick of the Special Anti-Crime Unit was further cross-examined. When hearing resumes on Monday, Dick will be further cross-examined by lead defence attorney Pamela Elder SC.