Phone call criticizing a juror ruled a crank

Thursday, Feb. 15, 2001 | 11:22 a.m.

Attorneys in the Jessica Williams case thought they were about to lose a juror just before closing arguments Wednesday.

Deputy District Attorney Bruce Nelson said the district attorney's office received a call Wednesday from a man claiming to be a doctor with valuable information for the prosecutors.

However, moments later the man said he was the brother of Juror No. 7 and alleged that he and his brother had been violating the judge's instructions and discussing the case all week.

Juror No. 7, who has been sequestered with all of the other jurors since the trial began and has limited telephone access, was brought into chambers Wednesday afternoon. He denied the allegations.

District Judge Mark Gibbons and the attorneys for both sides dismissed the phone call as a crank call.

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