Defense proposes dismissing juror in trial of Maryland doctors accused of helping Russia
BALTIMORE -- The prosecution and defense in the trial of two Maryland doctors accused of providing patients' private medical information to Russia have agreed to remove the holdout juror if they're split 11-1, in order to get a unanimous verdict.
🚨In a rare and extraordinary move, the prosecution and defense agree to removing the holdout juror if they’re still split 11 to 1–so they can get a unanimous verdict. Judge says she’s not sold on the idea. @wjz https://t.co/pqEKLKHVSh
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) June 1, 2023
The update comes after the jury struggled to deliberate Wednesday, due to a division on whether the government entrapped the defendants. If the jury finds the defendants were entrapped, the verdict would be not guilty across the board. The jury did not say which way they were leaning, however.
This comes after jurors sent a note saying they have continued to deliberate and are deadlocked on whether there was entrapment by the government. @wjz
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) June 1, 2023
It's rare that a juror is removed in order to reach a verdict, but the decision requires approval from the judge, who told the jury to keep deliberating.
The judge brought the jurors in…read them an Allen charge…and said keep deliberating. She told the lawyers, “One more note saying they’re hung, and I’m going to declare a mistrial!” @wjz
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) June 1, 2023
This story is still developing and will be updated.
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