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Defense requests mistrial after juror and defendant briefly encountered each other at LaSalle; court pauses to research
Summary
During trial in the 252nd District Court, defense counsel moved for a mistrial after Deputy Milhouse reported that Juror No. 15 (Cooper) rode an elevator at LaSalle with defendant Tracy Marie Samuel. The judge recessed to research the issue; the court later reconvened and proceeded with jury instructions and closing arguments.
A defense attorney raised a mistrial request after the court was informed that Juror No. 15 (identified in court as Cooper) and the defendant, Tracy Marie Samuel, briefly rode the same elevator at the juror’s workplace, LaSalle. Deputy Milhouse reported the encounter to the court, and defense counsel said the appearance of impropriety required a mistrial.
The issue surfaced shortly after opening court that day. Defense counsel (Mister Vasquez) told the judge, “because of the appearance of impropriety, that I have to ask for a mistrial.” The judge said he would go off the record to…
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