JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Below is a breakdown of what we learned about the jury hearing the Corrine Brown federal corruption trial during the jury selection process.
The juror numbers are the ones they were re-assigned after they were selected.
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From a pool of 85 people, those selected were three black jurors, eight white jurors and one Hispanic juror. After one of the white male jurors was dismissed after several days of deliberations following a controversy, he was replaced by the first alternate, a Hispanic male juror.
The four alternate jurors were not told that they were alternates until after deliberations began, and they listened to the trial as if they were seated jurors.
Judge Timothy Corrigan gave the jurors their initial instructions and asked them to put blinders on and focus on what was happening in the courtroom.
“If it didn’t happen in this courtroom, you shouldn’t have it,” he said.
He said it's their job to ignore the media, the public, family and friends and that nobody should be approaching them or talking with them about their jury service.
The jury has not been sequestered during the trial, but the jurors must not see any coverage of the trial until after a verdict is reached.
He said during the trial, they can’t talk to anybody else about the case, but that after the trial they can tell people about it if they want to, but they will never have to.
He told them not to do their own research outside of court.
“It’s the lawyers' job to make you understand,” he said.
He told them to keep an open mind during testimony, which will include witness testimony and exhibits, such as documents, emails, receipts and pictures.
He encouraged them to take notes but to keep their notes private and not to share them or discus them with other jurors.
He said the exhibits will be available to them in the jury room, so they don’t have to memorize the papers.
He told them not to infer from any rulings on objections that it means the judge has an opinion on the case.
He pointed out that the burden of proof is on the government to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt, not beyond all possible doubt. He said that the defense can present evidence, but it doesn't have to and that if the defense does present evidence or testimony, the government then gets to present rebuttal testimony or evidence.
Jury make-up
Juror No. 1 -- Black male
An employed Jacksonville man with a high school education who has served on a jury before, he said he watched news about the case and heard that Brown could be in prison for the rest of her life, if convicted. He said he recalled the news talking about the “fundraising funds.”
He said he had not formed an opinion on whether Brown is guilty or not guilty and that he could put pretrial coverage out of his mind and focus solely on details presented at trial.
Juror No. 2 -- White male
Jacksonville man said that he once briefly met Brown when he was invited to his company's box at EverBank Field about two years ago. He said the owner of his company knows her.
He said he doesn't watch local news and only knew that there was a case. He said he doesn't have an opinion on the case and that he could put his prior meeting with her aside and focus solely on the case.
Juror No. 3 -- Black female
She is an unemployed, divorced Jacksonville woman with a college degree.
She did not indicate any hardship or knowledge of pre-trial publicity and was not questioned.
Juror No. 4 -- White male
A divorced Bunnell factory worker with an older son, he said his sister-in-law knew he was coming up for jury selection and a week ago said “there was a lady that got caught stealing money. That’s probably where you’re going.”
He said they didn't discuss it further and that he had no other pretrial knowledge. He said one comment didn’t cause him to think one way or another about the case and that he could put that aside to be impartial.
Juror No. 5 – Hispanic male (originally the first alternate)
A former student government officer at the University of North Florida years ago, he said he worked with UNF president John Delaney, who is on the witness list for the defense.
He said he hasn’t had much contact with Delaney since graduation and that he would consider Delaney's testimony in context.
Juror No. 7 -- White male
A married Jacksonville hair stylist with a bachelor's degree, he said he is an insulin-dependent diabetic, but that his diabetes is well-controlled and that he can maintain his blood sugar within the courtroom.
He said he watches the news every night and has a general knowledge of what’s been reported. He said he has a recent degree in communications and keeps up with social media a lot but that he has not posted on opinions about the case on social media.
He said he knows that Brown was a U.S. Representative for a long time and is charged with taking money from a charity and using it for personal use, and that other people were involved.
He said he has not looked into the case in depth and has not formed an opinion. He said he could put pretrial knowledge aside to be impartial.
Juror No. 8 – White female
A widowed Jacksonville real estate worker, she did not indicate any hardship or knowledge of pre-trial publicity and was not questioned.
Juror No. 9 – Black female
A married Jacksonville woman with a bachelor's degree in the medical field, she did not indicate any hardship or knowledge of pre-trial publicity and was not questioned.
Juror No. 10 – White female
A Jacksonville insurance worker with a bachelor's degree, she said she reads the paper every day and knows the Brown case has been in the headlines.
She said she stopped reading stories after she got her jury summons because she knew the Brown case was coming up this spring. She said she doesn't watch TV news.
She said she previously knew charges were brought involving money given to a charity that may have been used inappropriately, but that she doesn’t have an opinion of whether Brown is guilty, because she doesn’t know what the facts are. She said she could put prior knowledge aside to be impartial.
Juror No. 14 – White female
A married Jacksonville insurance worker with a high school education, she said she had heard Brown's name and saw on the news about three weeks ago that there would be a trial.
She said she has not heard any reports about the alleged facts in the case and has not formed an opinion on guilt or innocence. She said she could put aside other statements and be a fair and impartial juror.
Juror No. 15 – White male
The Aurora (Brevard County) man said he had heard a jury was going to be picked but that he knew nothing about the actual charges until he showed up in court. He said he joked with friends about possibly landing on Brown's jury but that he has not formed an opinion.
He said that he can pus aside whatever he's heard to base a verdict solely on evidence and testimony presented at trial.
Juror No. 16 – Hispanic male
A married Jacksonville man with a bachelor's degree who served in the military, he did not indicate any hardship or knowledge of pre-trial publicity and was not questioned.
Alternates
Juror No. 6 – Asian female
The St. Johns County woman said she watches the news every day but doesn't remember anything in particular about the case and does not have an opinion.
She said she could put prior knowledge aside for the trial.
Juror No. 11 – White male
He did not indicate any hardship or knowledge of pre-trial publicity and was not questioned.
Juror No. 12 – Black female
The East Palatka woman said she doesn't drive and indicated it would be hardship to find someone to bring her every day. The judge said arrangements could be made for people who live more than 50 miles away to stay in a hotel.
She said she was aware of the allegations but hasn’t discussed the case with anyone else and hasn’t formed an opinion. She said she could put aside past knowledge to make an impartial decision.
Dismissed juror
Juror No. 13 – White male
An unemployed Middleburg man who served in the Navy, he did not indicate any hardship or knowledge of pre-trial publicity and was not questioned.