Archive - Feb 2007
February 28th
The jurors have left the building
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Wed, 02/28/2007 - 17:51
The word has come down at around 4:45 that the jurors have left the building. There are lots of speculations about what it could mean. They’ve reached a decision and everyone wants to go home get a good night’s rest and come in with verdict clothes tomorrow. They are close and have decided to go home and sleep on it. They have reached an impasse and are going home to cool off. Perhaps there is a special sale at a local store, or they are having early happy hour for jurors at a local bar.
Strike that: It is now reported that Judge Walton had a five o'clock meeting and sent them home early.
Meanwhile, we’ve been told that they will be shutting down power in the building at midnight for maintenance. Power should be back by 3 AM, or maybe 10 AM, depending on what happens.
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Rate on NewsTrustLunch at the Libby Trial, No News
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Wed, 02/28/2007 - 15:39
After this morning’s big non-event, there wasn’t much Libby related stuff to talk about during lunch. The discussion at the table I was eating at veered from talking about judges and their clerks to some journalists talking about the old days of the AP versus UPI and what it was like trying to submit stories from Saigon over painfully slow wires.
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No further clarification needed
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Wed, 02/28/2007 - 12:07
The courtroom starts to fill up again. Both teams are on the field. Wells appears tobe joking around more and Fitzpatrick is talking more seriously
All Stand
Walton: The jury sent a note in response to my note for further clarification.
The note said:
No further clarification needed. Thank you, we apologize.
(more or less)
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Update: 11:38 There are plenty of heated arguments about what the question from the jury really means. I've got a copy of the question that I'll read through and see if I can make sense of it.
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More waiting
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Wed, 02/28/2007 - 11:16
After much waiting, the sealed matter before Judge Walton appears to have been handled and monitor comes on. The audio is delayed.
Judge Walton says, I have received the parties proposal about what I should say. I have some questions in my mind about what the jurors are asking. Walton is sending the note back, saying he is not exactly certain what they are asking.
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Speculation about the note
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Wed, 02/28/2007 - 10:10
The media crew is rolling in. There is plenty of speculation about the note that will be discussed at 9:30. What do we do with the extra Valentine’s Day T-Shirt? Can we get more Post-Its? What should we do if we can’t reach agreement on one of the counts? Do you really not want us to wear jeans? We want the art critic back. One person who was hear late last night says the note a not deadlock note; it is not an important note, he loudly claims.
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February 27th
A note
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Tue, 02/27/2007 - 21:54
At about 5:30 this evening, about the same time as I was leaving the court house, an email came out saying that the court received a note with a question from the jury at the end of the day. Due to scheduling issues, the note should be addressed in court around 9:30. We'll find out what the note says then.
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Another day of waiting ends
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Tue, 02/27/2007 - 18:16
Well, another day of waiting has ended with no verdict. It was a pretty slow day today. There was the music earlier on. In the afternoon, one of the journalists put her head down to rest. Everyone talked about different things to do…. Quietly leave the room and let her think the verdict came while she was sleeping. Tie her shoes together. Put her hand in warm water. She woke up in the middle of the discussion.
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The value of cameras in the courtroom
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Tue, 02/27/2007 - 14:55
I am sitting in the Federal Courthouse in Washington DC, waiting for a verdict in the Libby trial. I’ve just gotten back from lunch where I sat with a few people from CourtTV. I told them the story about Ken Krayeske’s arrest, hoping to stir up a little interest in the case. One person, however, mentioned that Connecticut doesn’t allow cameras in its courtrooms.
It seems like this is another topic that folks at MyLeftNutmeg might want to start talking about with their State Representatives and State Senators. Does anyone here know what the rules are about cameras in the courts in Connecticut and how to go about opening up the Connecticut courts to cameras?
(Cross posted at MyLeftNutmeg)
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The Libby Trial Media Room updates
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Tue, 02/27/2007 - 12:59
The air conditioning appears to be fixed. Someone is piping in music over the speakers. Currently, it is “God only knows what I’d be with out you” by the Beach Boys.
The room continues to fill up. The song ends and another comes on. People argue over what the new song is. One person asks, "Is it true that this is music from Fitzgerald's iPod?"
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In the media room
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Tue, 02/27/2007 - 10:55
Tuesday, Week six. Everyone is busy typing away, preparing for a hoped for verdict. People talk about whether or not it will come today. There is a sense of anticipation. The media room is hot, the air conditioning isn’t working properly. There are jokes about it being fixed soon after the verdict is delivered. People talk about wearing their verdict suits today, and the room is packed today.
As we sit and wait for a verdict, the monitor is showing Judge Walton’s courtroom. He is currently hearing the case of some young black man who has violated parole, or something like that. I haven’t been paying close. Then, over the speaker comes Judge Walton speaking forcefully, “I find it deplorable for a young black man want to put himself in chains. If that is all you think you are worth, then we will do that to you.” The defendant asks to be sent to a facility that provides mental health and asks to have other health issues addressed.
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