Judge concerned that juror is flirting with defendant in Whitmer kidnap trial

[marmar]

(Detroit Free Press) A juror in the third Gretchen Whitmer kidnap trial is under scrutiny over concerns she is flirting with one of the defendants, smiling at him from the jury box and looking at him frequently — so frequently that the judge said he's going to keep an eye on her.

"I see her looking directly at your client, and a number of times I've seen smiles coming out of her face. It's enough that it's drawing my attention," Jackson County Circuit Judge Thomas Wilson told the defendant's lawyer, adding "I'm going to be paying close attention. ... I don't know if I'm going to kick her off or not."

The defendant at issue is 22-year-old Paul Bellar of Milford, the youngest defendant charged in the sensational domestic terrorism case that is now playing out in state court after four defendants were previously convicted, and two others acquitted in federal court.

Smiles and Skittles

A prosecutor raised the issue during a trial break on Wednesday, telling the judge that not only is the juror flirting with Bellar, but it appears he may be flirting back. They smile and nod at each other, the prosecutor said, adding that Bellar at one point clenched both his fists and shook them in an affirmative way while the juror was looking at him.

"We're very concerned about this juror," the prosecutor said.

Bellar's attorney conceded that he, too, had seen the two exchange glances. But he had an explanation for why Bellar was seen shaking his fists. ............(more)

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/10/12/whitmer-kidnap-plot-juror-flirting-defendant/69558976007/

[cbabe]

1. This was a law and order episode. Female jurist flirts

with murder defendant. He’s acquitted and later tries to murder her.

Don’t know the exact season/episode.

[elias7]

2. We should let her know how the show turned out.

Life imitates art

[Skittles]

3. flirting with that psycho dork? WTF

and bringing SKITTLES into it? EGREGIOUS.

[ybbor]

4. He was a student at the school I taught at

You may also recognize him from when they occupied the state capital:



He’s second from the right.

Was actually a decent kid. Was a junior firefighter and EMT. Joined the military, but was medically discharged.

I spoke to him in December of 2019 when he came back to visit the school during one of our events. I was pretty stunned when it all blew up. He was proud of his actions at the capital and his advisor said he texted her to claim he was in the photos.

The area I taught is very red and has a racist history. Most of the kids did have their heads on straight, or at least I thought so. Definitely a few nut jobs though.

I hope he does serious time.

[Skittles]

5. would be interesting to know how he got so radicalized

sounds like he used to be a decent person but these days, who knows?

[demmiblue]

6. Juror dismissed from Whitmer kidnap plot trial after accusations of flirting

MICHIGAN (AP) - A judge has dismissed a young woman from the jury hearing the trial of three men in connection with a 2020 plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer after attorneys accused her of flirting with one of the defendants.

Judge Thomas Wilson announced Friday that the woman has been removed from the jury, two days after attorneys raised concerns the juror was having too much non-verbal communication with defendant Paul Bellar, the Jackson Citizen Patriot reported.

"It didn’t just happen on one day — it happened over multiple days," Wilson said of the juror’s behavior. "I decided it’s safer to err on the side of caution."

Wilson said he has never seen such behavior in nearly 35 years of practicing law. The juror took the decision well, he said.

https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/juror-dismissed-from-whitmer-kidnap-plot-trial-after-accusations-of-flirting