JAGO
02-19-2010, 05:51
Congressman Conyer's wife has already pled guilty.
http://detnews.com/article/20100218/METRO01/2180446/Riddle-mistrial--Race--rancor-inside-jury-room
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February 18, 2010 http://detnews.com/article/20100218/METRO01/2180446
Race, rancor inside Riddle jury room
Frustrated jurors say lone holdout would not deliberate
PAUL EGAN, MIKE WILKINSON AND ORALANDAR BRAND-WILLIAMS
The Detroit News
Detroit -- Tempers flared among jurors in Sam Riddle's political corruption trial when they attempted their very first task -- picking a foreperson.
And over six partial days of deliberation marked by yelling, intransigence, anger and fear that ended in a mistrial Wednesday, relations never improved.
They wrote notes to the judge with complaints like "she won't listen to us" and "they won't listen to me."
Several jurors said 11 members of the panel wanted to convict Riddle on some or all of the seven counts he faced.
They said Angela Woods, the lone black juror who held out for acquittal, introduced race into deliberations early by saying the others wanted to "hang the black man."
Woods, a flight attendant who lives in Oakland County, would not say much outside the courthouse and later outside her home.
"I don't owe an explanation about any of it," Woods told reporters. "I will not be commenting on this now, not later, not ever, nor in the future."
"It's over -- it's done with."
Riddle attorney John Minock, who was privy to several notes that Woods and other jurors sent to U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn, said it's "not a fair characterization" to say Woods refused to deliberate. Minock declined further comment, citing a gag order in the case. But even some jurors who said Woods would not deliberate conceded that, at one point, she was prepared to convict Riddle on one count.
And despite about 20 hours of deliberation over six days, the situation deteriorated so much that jurors did not even get to all seven counts, they said.
Jurors, at least one of them in tears, described grueling days of frustration marked by shouting and intransigence.
"There was yelling and screaming and there were fights," said jury foreman Matt LeFevre, who manages a fast food restaurant in Troy. Woods "made up her mind before the door shut."
"We worked really hard, and because of one person ... we couldn't come to a unanimous decision," Sue Persichini said, weeping.
The only other nonwhite juror, Jay Gandhi, said Woods became upset on the first day of deliberations, Feb. 8, when her offer to serve as jury forewoman was not embraced by other jurors. Instead, LeFevre was chosen.
According to Gandhi, Woods slammed down a black binder and said the group was going to "hang the black man."
To some of the jurors, such as Margaret Elyakin, that comment "accused us of being racist."
Gandhi said she angrily confronted Woods over that statement and a brief discussion about race ensued.
"We all agreed that race should not be an issue," said Elyakin, who confirmed much of Gandhi's account of the foreperson election.
Gandhi said Woods was unwilling to deliberate after the election.
"The torture was every day," Gandhi said, with Woods refusing to participate in votes and repeating, 'It's going to be a hung jury.' "
Gandhi penned a letter to fellow jurors that she read aloud in the jury room Tuesday. Though jurors had not openly discussed the issue since the blow-up over the foreperson election, Gandhi wrote it was time to confront the "elephant in the room" -- race, she said.
"Everybody loved it. Everybody clapped," Gandhi said.
But Woods, she said, was visibly upset. "She didn't expect to be confronted," Gandhi said.
Different interpretations
Hiroshi Fukurai, a professor of sociology and law at the University of California-Santa Cruz, who has studied racial issues in juror deliberations, said it's not uncommon for black and white jurors to interpret the same evidence differently, particularly in the case of a black defendant, such as Riddle.
What's rare, he said, is for a single black juror to maintain her stance in the face of opposition by 11 others.
"Normally, you have to have at least three people to withstand the tremendous pressure placed on you," Fukurai said. "I hope the defendant will have a more racially diverse jury for the retrial."
Fukurai said it's not uncommon for black jurors to be more suspicious of wiretaps and FBI testimony, and some jurors said Woods did not believe the FBI and other witnesses.
But Woods has refused to discuss her reasons for wanting to acquit Riddle.
Prosecutors said they will retry Riddle, 63, who faces charges that include conspiracy, extortion and lying to the FBI.
Prosecutors allege Riddle teamed up with his onetime boss, former Detroit City Councilwoman Monica Conyers, to shake down businesses with matters before the Detroit City Council or the General Retirement System.
"The American system of justice worked, and we are prepared for Round Two," Riddle said as he left court Wednesday with two of his four sons.
Later Wednesday, Riddle posted a comment on Twitter thanking his supporters.
"Thank You FaceBook Family For Your Prayers, Encouragement & Strong FB Attitudes During Round 1. Stay Tuned. Against All Odds We Fight On," he wrote.
U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said she does not view the Riddle mistrial as a defeat.
"It happens from time to time," McQuade said after a ceremony formally installing her in the post she has held since January. "This is a mistrial. We get a do-over and we will do it (retry the case)."
The jurors' public comments came despite a suggestion from Cohn that they remain quiet.
"You would be better off to chalk this up to one of life's experiences and keep your mouths shut," Cohn told jurors before dismissing them.
A status conference is scheduled for 10 a.m. today in the case.
Woods told reporters "it was a very interesting case," and she met some fascinating people.
"It was my first time being in the federal court building," she said. "It was very interesting. You learn a lot."
'She changed her mind'
Last Thursday, Cohn read jurors a set of special instructions, called an "Allen charge," intended to propel hung juries toward reaching a unanimous verdict.
The special charge encourages jurors to re-examine their views but also says they shouldn't surrender sincerely held positions.
Jurors said Woods then changed her mind about one count on which she had been willing to convict Riddle. That was a charge that Riddle passed cash to Conyers from Detroit businessman Rayford W. Jackson. Jackson was a consultant for Synagro Technologies Inc., a Texas company that was awarded a $1.2 billion sewage sludge hauling contract in 2007, with Conyers casting the deciding vote.
Persichini said Woods at one point said she would convict on the Synagro charge, but "she changed her mind."
Elyakin, 50, of Ann Arbor, said Riddle should have been convicted on all counts. She compared the "racial divide" on the jury to what she understood happened in the murder trial of O.J. Simpson in California.
"If you can't find this man guilty, you can't find anyone guilty," she said of Riddle.
pegan@detnews.com">pegan@detnews.com (313) 222-2069
Additional Facts
Synagro defendants
The federal government has charged several defendants in connection with the Detroit City Council's awarding in 2007 of a $1.2 billion sewage sludge hauling contract to Synagro Technologies Inc. of Texas. They include:
James Rosendall: Former Synagro vice president. Pleaded guilty to bribery and was sentenced to 11 months in prison. He worked with Rayford Jackson to bribe Councilwoman Monica Conyers for her "yes" vote on a $47 million sludge contract.
Rayford Jackson: About to start a five-year prison term after pleading guilty to bribery conspiracy.
Monica Conyers: Pleaded guilty to bribery and awaits sentencing March 10.
Sam Riddle: Allegedly participated in bribery scheme with Conyers; mistrial declared Wednesday in government case against him. Prosecutors say they will retry Riddle.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
© Copyright 2010 The Detroit News. All rights reserved.
http://detnews.com/article/20100218/METRO01/2180446/Riddle-mistrial--Race--rancor-inside-jury-room
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 18, 2010 http://detnews.com/article/20100218/METRO01/2180446
Race, rancor inside Riddle jury room
Frustrated jurors say lone holdout would not deliberate
PAUL EGAN, MIKE WILKINSON AND ORALANDAR BRAND-WILLIAMS
The Detroit News
Detroit -- Tempers flared among jurors in Sam Riddle's political corruption trial when they attempted their very first task -- picking a foreperson.
And over six partial days of deliberation marked by yelling, intransigence, anger and fear that ended in a mistrial Wednesday, relations never improved.
They wrote notes to the judge with complaints like "she won't listen to us" and "they won't listen to me."
Several jurors said 11 members of the panel wanted to convict Riddle on some or all of the seven counts he faced.
They said Angela Woods, the lone black juror who held out for acquittal, introduced race into deliberations early by saying the others wanted to "hang the black man."
Woods, a flight attendant who lives in Oakland County, would not say much outside the courthouse and later outside her home.
"I don't owe an explanation about any of it," Woods told reporters. "I will not be commenting on this now, not later, not ever, nor in the future."
"It's over -- it's done with."
Riddle attorney John Minock, who was privy to several notes that Woods and other jurors sent to U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn, said it's "not a fair characterization" to say Woods refused to deliberate. Minock declined further comment, citing a gag order in the case. But even some jurors who said Woods would not deliberate conceded that, at one point, she was prepared to convict Riddle on one count.
And despite about 20 hours of deliberation over six days, the situation deteriorated so much that jurors did not even get to all seven counts, they said.
Jurors, at least one of them in tears, described grueling days of frustration marked by shouting and intransigence.
"There was yelling and screaming and there were fights," said jury foreman Matt LeFevre, who manages a fast food restaurant in Troy. Woods "made up her mind before the door shut."
"We worked really hard, and because of one person ... we couldn't come to a unanimous decision," Sue Persichini said, weeping.
The only other nonwhite juror, Jay Gandhi, said Woods became upset on the first day of deliberations, Feb. 8, when her offer to serve as jury forewoman was not embraced by other jurors. Instead, LeFevre was chosen.
According to Gandhi, Woods slammed down a black binder and said the group was going to "hang the black man."
To some of the jurors, such as Margaret Elyakin, that comment "accused us of being racist."
Gandhi said she angrily confronted Woods over that statement and a brief discussion about race ensued.
"We all agreed that race should not be an issue," said Elyakin, who confirmed much of Gandhi's account of the foreperson election.
Gandhi said Woods was unwilling to deliberate after the election.
"The torture was every day," Gandhi said, with Woods refusing to participate in votes and repeating, 'It's going to be a hung jury.' "
Gandhi penned a letter to fellow jurors that she read aloud in the jury room Tuesday. Though jurors had not openly discussed the issue since the blow-up over the foreperson election, Gandhi wrote it was time to confront the "elephant in the room" -- race, she said.
"Everybody loved it. Everybody clapped," Gandhi said.
But Woods, she said, was visibly upset. "She didn't expect to be confronted," Gandhi said.
Different interpretations
Hiroshi Fukurai, a professor of sociology and law at the University of California-Santa Cruz, who has studied racial issues in juror deliberations, said it's not uncommon for black and white jurors to interpret the same evidence differently, particularly in the case of a black defendant, such as Riddle.
What's rare, he said, is for a single black juror to maintain her stance in the face of opposition by 11 others.
"Normally, you have to have at least three people to withstand the tremendous pressure placed on you," Fukurai said. "I hope the defendant will have a more racially diverse jury for the retrial."
Fukurai said it's not uncommon for black jurors to be more suspicious of wiretaps and FBI testimony, and some jurors said Woods did not believe the FBI and other witnesses.
But Woods has refused to discuss her reasons for wanting to acquit Riddle.
Prosecutors said they will retry Riddle, 63, who faces charges that include conspiracy, extortion and lying to the FBI.
Prosecutors allege Riddle teamed up with his onetime boss, former Detroit City Councilwoman Monica Conyers, to shake down businesses with matters before the Detroit City Council or the General Retirement System.
"The American system of justice worked, and we are prepared for Round Two," Riddle said as he left court Wednesday with two of his four sons.
Later Wednesday, Riddle posted a comment on Twitter thanking his supporters.
"Thank You FaceBook Family For Your Prayers, Encouragement & Strong FB Attitudes During Round 1. Stay Tuned. Against All Odds We Fight On," he wrote.
U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said she does not view the Riddle mistrial as a defeat.
"It happens from time to time," McQuade said after a ceremony formally installing her in the post she has held since January. "This is a mistrial. We get a do-over and we will do it (retry the case)."
The jurors' public comments came despite a suggestion from Cohn that they remain quiet.
"You would be better off to chalk this up to one of life's experiences and keep your mouths shut," Cohn told jurors before dismissing them.
A status conference is scheduled for 10 a.m. today in the case.
Woods told reporters "it was a very interesting case," and she met some fascinating people.
"It was my first time being in the federal court building," she said. "It was very interesting. You learn a lot."
'She changed her mind'
Last Thursday, Cohn read jurors a set of special instructions, called an "Allen charge," intended to propel hung juries toward reaching a unanimous verdict.
The special charge encourages jurors to re-examine their views but also says they shouldn't surrender sincerely held positions.
Jurors said Woods then changed her mind about one count on which she had been willing to convict Riddle. That was a charge that Riddle passed cash to Conyers from Detroit businessman Rayford W. Jackson. Jackson was a consultant for Synagro Technologies Inc., a Texas company that was awarded a $1.2 billion sewage sludge hauling contract in 2007, with Conyers casting the deciding vote.
Persichini said Woods at one point said she would convict on the Synagro charge, but "she changed her mind."
Elyakin, 50, of Ann Arbor, said Riddle should have been convicted on all counts. She compared the "racial divide" on the jury to what she understood happened in the murder trial of O.J. Simpson in California.
"If you can't find this man guilty, you can't find anyone guilty," she said of Riddle.
pegan@detnews.com">pegan@detnews.com (313) 222-2069
Additional Facts
Synagro defendants
The federal government has charged several defendants in connection with the Detroit City Council's awarding in 2007 of a $1.2 billion sewage sludge hauling contract to Synagro Technologies Inc. of Texas. They include:
James Rosendall: Former Synagro vice president. Pleaded guilty to bribery and was sentenced to 11 months in prison. He worked with Rayford Jackson to bribe Councilwoman Monica Conyers for her "yes" vote on a $47 million sludge contract.
Rayford Jackson: About to start a five-year prison term after pleading guilty to bribery conspiracy.
Monica Conyers: Pleaded guilty to bribery and awaits sentencing March 10.
Sam Riddle: Allegedly participated in bribery scheme with Conyers; mistrial declared Wednesday in government case against him. Prosecutors say they will retry Riddle.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
© Copyright 2010 The Detroit News. All rights reserved.