Juror had doubts about Edwards case, newspapers say

Sunday, May 7, 2000 | 2:15 a.m.

The doubts were described in a note which Juror No. 68 sent to the judge April 27. U.S. District Judge Frank Polozola placed the note under seal but The Advocate of Baton Rouge obtained a copy.

Polozola dismissed the juror Thursday, saying he refused to follow instructions. Defense attorneys were furious with the ruling and immediately asked for a mistrial - a motion that was denied.

The remaining 11 jurors will begin their third week of deliberations Monday. Jurors have spent little time deliberating so far. Instead, they have been holed up in the jury waiting room while Polozola decided whether to remove the juror.

The juror sent a note to the judge April 27 expressing his concerns about his role in the case, The Advocate reported.

"As much as I do not want to request it, I would request to be dismissed," the note said.

The newspaper said the juror wrote, "Do I have to explain the doubts in my mind? I am being very intimidated because of how I may feel."

After No. 68 had been dismissed, Polozola warned the remaining 11 not to intimidate or pressure anyone about their decisions.

The note continued with the juror's concerns about his role in the deliberation process, the newspaper said.

"I feel there is such an awesome responsibility with the lives of people in our and my hands that I am trying to erase some doubts but can't seem to forget them in my mind," No. 68 wrote.

On May 1, another juror sent a note which the judge also sealed.

It read, "We feel a juror is biased and refuses to deliberate. He has made up his mind but will not discuss his reasoning," The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune reported, quoting an anonymous source. It also quoted the source as saying the note referred to No. 68, though it did not specify him.

Juror No. 68 described himself during jury selection as a 40-year-old white male from East Baton Rouge Parish who said he believed Edwards was somewhat to blame for corruption in the state's riverboat casino industry.

Edwards, his son, Stephen, state Sen. Greg Tarver and four others are accused in a series of extortion schemes to manipulate the licensing of Louisiana riverboat casinos from 1991 through 1997. If convicted on all counts, Edwards, 72, could get more than 300 years in prison.