Jury chair develops feelings for defendant, accused of trying to rig trial
A Russian woman who served as a jury chair in a criminal case will be tried for obstruction of justice. Prosecutors say she tried to manipulate fellow jurors after developing feelings for one of the defendants.
The woman, identified as M., was summoned in 2016 to be a juror in the criminal prosecution of a group of defendants accused of a number of violent crimes, including murder, robbery, and kidnapping. She was the chair of the jury, but during the trial, she “developed personal sympathy” for one of the defendants, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee.
M., 39, initially tried to leverage her influence on the other jurors to acquit the man she liked, but she eventually recused herself from the proceedings. This did not, however, mean that she stopped trying to save the defendant.
The prosecutors allege that in February 2018, she contacted the defendant and suggested using her knowledge of the jury to pressure them. She later met a law enforcement officer who she believed to be a fixer, and offered personal information about the jury members and suggested which of them she believed could be bribed. She even personally met with one member to further her cause, the allegation states.
The sting operation produced enough evidence to prosecute. M., when confronted by prosecutors, confessed to attempted obstruction of justice, the statement said. A trial is yet to be scheduled.
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