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Stevens Jury to Start Over as Member Is Dismissed
Jury stars over as alternate joins panel
By Peter Fearon
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Posted Oct 27, 08 1:55 AM CDT
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(Newser)
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One of the jurors in the corruption trial of Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens has been dismissed, the Hill reports. In a hearing last night the judge released a woman who left Washington Friday following the death of her father, and has been unreachable since. He said he would replace her with an alternate this morning and order the jury to restart deliberations.
The defense had asked the judge to wait for her to return or allow the jury to continue with 11 members. Deliberations are said to have been stormy, which is usually a positive sign for the defense, the Hill notes. Stevens, 84, faces seven charges of making false statements about gifts he allegedly received. Despite the case, he's still up for re-election November 4.