Rubashkin Trial Day 14: No Verdict Today

The jury deliberated all day but did not reach a verdict.

Jeff Reinitz of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that the jury, which deliberated all day today, did not reach a verdict.

Deliberations are scheduled to resume 9 am Monday.

Comments

[Robert Wisler]

Shmarya,
Please correct the grammar in the title.

[Shmarya]

Thanks. Fixed it.

[A E ANDERSON]

The jury didn't take the prosecutors' bait and immediately return convictions based on the volume and odiousness of the charges. SMR may yet walk.

[max]

Watching A Case Crumble

http://collive.com/show_news.rtx?id=9340&alias=watching-a-case-crumble

Gary Norris said that the Guatemalan immigrants, especially women, were typically of short stature and often looked far younger than their chronological age. Conversely, some Guatemalan teenage boys had mustaches and facial hair that made them appear to be much older than their years. "As a supervisor who came into daily contact with them, there was no way I could assess their ages based on appearance," Norris said.

Some government witnesses said that Sholom Mordechai occasionally walked through the plant and "had looked their way." Prosecutors seem to think that this is enough to persuade the jury that the defendant could "facially" detect who was underage at such times.

But Norris said that anyone who, like Sholom Mordechai, only occasionally walked through the floor generally did not encounter workers face to face. Using a map of the plant displayed on a large screen, he showed how the rooms were structured in such a way that workers faced their assembly line or equipment, with the walkway behind them.

In addition, Norris said, workers were usually bundled in sweaters due to the refrigerated temperatures. They were cloaked in steel hats, large frocks or aprons, and gloves and boots, making it difficult to get an accurate reading of their size and features.

Abrams recalled that on a rare instance, when a minor who had lied his way into employment was discovered, the Human Resources director summarily fired him. Bensasson testified to a similar instance of uncovering an underage worker - a girl under 18 - and immediately firing her.

[sandra]

hung jury ?

rubashkin wins the case . he'll walk out ,
like gotti jr did . free .

[WoolSilkCotton]

When the best you can do is quote collive and Shmuley Boteach, you can rest assured that Rubashkin is toast.

Let the jury take an extra day or two to prepare their reasons for finding the holy Meat Messiah guilty.

A Gutten Shabbos to all.

[sandra]

the jury is confused . they don't believe the prosecutors . after hearing the defense, they have their doubts .
they have to all agree . they can't .

hung jury ?

[OMG]

Max, I totally disagree with your conjecture, in the rebuttal the prosecution pointed out again and again, that, the issue is not if SMR had to know who the minor was, from a legal prospective, the verdict will hinge on, if a CEO get information from numerous sources that his company is employing minors, as the defense witness themselves testified that they heard and reported the rumors to SMR and Hershy, what immediate action did SMR take? One did SMR at least tried ascertain who are these potential minors, no he didn’t, two did SMR institute a new SOP for HR, to be able to spot children applying for jobs, to protect the company. No he didn’t do that either, and the prosecutor clearly explained, that because SMR is the CEO, that is why he is being charged. So your long wasteful post conveniently discuss the identification issue which is not the main prosecution point, I would like you to layout a cohesive argument to refute this prosecution theory of guilt.

[OMG]

A E ANDERSON Miami, Fla. | June 04, 2010 at 06:45 PM
As I wrote in my last post to you, that I did serve on a jury, and we all took the responsibility very seriously, with the understanding that if we find the defendant guilty we are the ones who will incarcerate this person and take away his liberty. Please allow me to give some of the particulars, the defendant, a teacher, and the victim 15 years old girl, alleged that the defendant embraced her in the janitor’s closet and touch and kissed her inappropriately; she was the sole witness and no physical evidence. The defendant was the only witness and basically he said it is all a lie and the only reason she made up the horrible story, because he gave her bad grads, and as matter of fact, the only class she failed was his American History class. I don’t want to go into the discussions of the jury as not to give ammunition to a possible appeal, but it took us over a day to find him guilty, even after we voted 100% in the affirmative, we decided to go back a look one more time at every conceivable argument why he could be not guilty, just to make sure that we are right, in our judgment. Inasmuch in this case, I never believed that it would take a few hours, if it did, I would wonder did the jury really deliberated as directed by the judge, or they were just a bunch of Anti-Smites who decided SMR’s guilt during the trial before they even started the deliberation. It would be better for the system that they deliberated carefully before they come to a conclusion, and I still predict it will be a conviction.

[ex-employee]

As a born and raised Iowan, I feel OMG has a good point. The jury is taking it's time and going over every charge. Iowa and the midwest has for years had a great reputation of being honest and hard working. I feel the jury will do the job givin to them well and with honor. SMR may be found guilty but possibly not on all charges.

[FirstGenerationBavarianAmerican]

Jeff Reinitz is reporting a verdict has been reached which will be announced shortly:
http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/article_0d598382-725e-11df-90b8-001cc4c002e0.html

The live blog has not been updated.

[FirstGenerationBavarianAmerican]

There is a new live blogfrom this story:
http://wcfcourier.com/html_faef1b5c-7240-11df-9cf5-001cc4c03286.html

Verdict is not guilty.

[IATroutfisher]

Wow. I'm surprised. I wonder how this will figure into his federal fraud sentencing.