By: E&P Staff The U.S. judge who will preside over deposed press mogul Conrad Black's trial in Chicago next year on federal charges of fraud and money laundering has indicated she is considering ordering criminal background checks of potential jurors.
In a hearing, U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve agreed with Black's lawyers that criminal history checks should be run on potential jurors.
"I don't disagree with you that we should do that," St. Eve said. The issue, she added, was who would conduct the checks, and how they would be carried out.
St. Eve's consideration of criminal checks was reported last week by the Chicago Tribune in a story by staff reporters Rudolph Bush, Michael Higgins, and Todd Lighty.
The issue has received much attention in Chicago's federal courthouse because of revelations by the Chicago Tribune in March--after the six-month trial had gone to the jury--that at least two jurors in the trial of former Illinois Gov. George Ryan had concealed past arrests or convictions, opening the possibility of a mistrial. The trial went on, and Ryan was convicted on all counts.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here