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 Craigslist trial juror dismissed 
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 Post subject: Craigslist trial juror dismissed
PostPosted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 11:14 pm 
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I found this kinda interesting.

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Craigslist trial juror dismissed
A lawyer's handling of a replica of the firearm used in the killing upset the juror and drew the judge's warning.

By ABBY SIMONS, Star Tribune
Last update: March 27, 2009 - 11:18 PM



A juror upset by the handling of a gun during the fifth day of testimony of Michael Anderson's murder trial was dismissed Friday, leading the judge to issue a stern warning to the defense attorney who had pointed the inoperative firearm toward jurors.

"No one is ever going to have a replica firearm pointed at another person in this courtroom," Scott County District Judge Mary Theisen said before the jury returned following a noon break. "If it does happen, I will chastise you in front of the jury."

Theisen then left the courtroom to talk to the juror, who eventually asked to be excused.

The controversy came following defense attorney Alan Margoles' questioning of Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension firearms expert Kurt Moline, in which Margoles, holding a handgun similar to the one used to kill Katherine Ann Olson, pointed it in the general direction of the jury. The act upset one female juror.

Defense attorneys maintain that Anderson, 20, shot Olson accidentally after she answered an ad for a baby sitter he had posted on Craigslist in October 2007. They have argued that he intended to lure Olson, 24, to his parents' Savage home only for sex or romance, and killed her accidentally after pointing his father's revolver at her. Prosecutors contend he intentionally killed Olson, with premeditation.

Before the break, Margoles requested that the jury each be able to draw back the hammer and pull the trigger on the unloaded and disabled .357 Ruger Blackhawk revolver that killed Olson. The request was met with trepidation by Theisen, who eventually denied it.

"I don't think this has ever been done before, and it makes me uncomfortable ... particularly when some have expressed discomfort, in a courtroom full of spectators," Theisen said, adding that if jurors wish to handle the weapon during deliberations, they may do so.

Margoles countered that jurors frequently handle evidence, and this was important to show jurors how the trigger could easily be accidentally pulled. During questioning of Moline, however, prosecutors pointed out that several deliberate steps needed to be taken to cock and fire the gun.

Anderson's former cellmate at the Scott County jail also testified Friday, telling jurors that Anderson bragged about his notoriety as the "Craigslist killer."

Gregory Wikan, 35, of St. Paul said he urged Anderson not to discuss the case, but Anderson said he didn't care:

"He said they're trying to put him away for a long time,'' Wikan testified. "They found a girl in the trunk, and [he said] he was pretty much guilty of it."

Dr. Lindsey Thomas of the Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner's Office in Hastings, testified about the results of the autopsy she performed on Olson. Thomas said the single bullet struck Olson in the right side of her back and traveled to the left side of her abdomen without exiting her body.

The bullet tore through her spinal column, pancreas, small intestines, stomach and grazed her aorta. Thomas said she did not know whether Olson lost consciousness immediately, but that it was unlikely she would have survived long because of the internal bleeding.

Testimony in the case will resume Monday. The case is expected to go the jury by the middle of next week.

Abby Simons • 612-673-4921

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 7:28 am 
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Interesting tack. Yeah, a single-action revolver is not as easy to load and fire as the average Joe might think.

But if some **** for brains lawyer pointed it at me while I was in the jury box, the bailiff would probably have to effing restrain me.

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 7:44 am 
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DeanC wrote:
Interesting tack. Yeah, a single-action revolver is not as easy to load and fire as the average Joe might think.

But if some **** for brains lawyer pointed it at me while I was in the jury box, the bailiff would probably have to effing restrain me.


and it would make for an "interesting" read thru the court reporter notes if it wasn't just on tape... something like "Hey numb-nuts, if you @#$^! point that #$%!@ thing at me again you'd better &*(#$ coat it well with KY so it doesn't hurt so bad when I shove it up your a$$ sideways..."
:wink:

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 7:48 am 
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A couple of weeks ago I chastised a firearm ignorant friend for muzzling me with my unloaded, magazineless pistol after I twice explained the four rules when handling a firearm.

Since I'm guessing the break was not open (top break?) and the stand was more than 10 feet away from the jurors (can't tell if there are rounds in the cylinder), I would would jump up screaming too. What was wrong with the other 11 that they didn't throw a fit as well?

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 9:14 am 
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Not a top-break. It has a loading gate on the side.

Image

tullibee wrote:
"Hey numb-nuts, if you @#$^! point that #$%!@ thing at me again you'd better &*(#$ coat it well with KY so it doesn't hurt so bad when I shove it up your a$$ sideways..."

You sir, are a mind-reader!

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 2:00 pm 
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You folks must be a hoot in the gun store while other folks are handling the guns around you.

BB


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 2:07 pm 
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NOT a pleasant experience.

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 2:14 pm 
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Especially knowing that some kid could bring some live ammunition in with him and load it into multiple guns throughout the store. Oh wait, that's actually happened.

Damn straight I'll bitch someone out if they point a firearm at me; be it real, fake, rifle, pistol, airsoft, dart gun.

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 3:19 pm 
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BigBlue wrote:
You folks must be a hoot in the gun store while other folks are handling the guns around you.

BB


Don't point it at me. Simple rule. I don't point guns at other customers, and I expect the same respect back.


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 4:22 pm 
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I'm already trying to instill in my two year old to not point anything that even remotely looks like a gun at anyone. I might have gotten a contempt of court for telling that lawyer what I'd do with the pistol if he pointed it at anyone again. And I BET that he's probably some liberal fruit-loop who is all about taking guns away from folks.

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 6:17 pm 
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mrokern wrote:
BigBlue wrote:
You folks must be a hoot in the gun store while other folks are handling the guns around you.

BB


Don't point it at me. Simple rule. I don't point guns at other customers, and I expect the same respect back.


I know. Me too. But the way everyone is spouting off above I'd imagine fisticuffs, carnage and endless verbal rebuking if any of them step in a gun store.

BB


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 7:38 pm 
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Funny.

I sat in as a "juror" during a "judge training session" for newly appointed MN judges while in law school. Basically a couple of experienced lawyers and a "defendant" try to do everything they can to piss off the judge during a brief mock trial. Part of the trial included the display and handling of a replica firearm. The jurors were told in advance that it was an unloaded non-functional replica and that one of the lawyers would point it at us during the mock trial. The judge did a pretty good job of keeping his cool, but missed the part where the lawyer was waiving the gun around while the defendant was doing something else stupid.

At the end when we gave the judge feedback I pointed out the fact that he might want to keep a better eye on the handgun. He was rather mortified at having missed that part of the "test."


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 9:57 pm 
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BigBlue wrote:
mrokern wrote:
BigBlue wrote:
You folks must be a hoot in the gun store while other folks are handling the guns around you.

BB


Don't point it at me. Simple rule. I don't point guns at other customers, and I expect the same respect back.


I know. Me too. But the way everyone is spouting off above I'd imagine fisticuffs, carnage and endless verbal rebuking if any of them step in a gun store.

BB


LOL

I start with glare o' death. The furthest I've ever had to go was to ask, "You need to stop pointing guns at me now."

"Oh yeah? Why?"

"Because you've pointed a gun at me three different times now even though I've politely asked you to knock it off, and if you're going to keep it up, I'll assume you're going to hurt me and I'll point one back that isn't from the case."

He stopped and moved away from the gun counter pretty quick (Cabela's).

-Mark


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