Prosecutors raised concerns Wednesday about a female juror who apparently has been smiling at one of three men on trial in connection with a in 2020.
Judge Thomas Wilson said he, too, noticed it and pledged to pay 鈥渃lose attention鈥� to the juror. He said the expressions didn鈥檛 appear to be a reaction to testimony.
鈥淪he is in my direct view,鈥� Wilson said. 鈥淪o I am often looking right at her while I鈥檓 listening to the witness testify. ... I鈥檝e seen smiles come out of her face. Not great big smiles but more of a small smirk.鈥�
The juror has been looking at Paul Bellar, 24, who was a member of a paramilitary group, the Wolverine Watchmen. Bellar, Joe Morrison and Pete Musico are charged in state court in Jackson, Michigan, with
They鈥檙e accused of aligning with Adam Fox and others who were convicted in federal court with conspiring to kidnap Whitmer. Bellar, Morrison and Musico are not charged with having a direct role in the plot but were among the 14 people arrested in 2020.
The trial has lasted eight days so far, including six days of testimony by an FBI agent.
鈥淪ince the start of the trial 鈥� and we're prepared to offer sworn testimony on this from two different witnesses 鈥� there's been nonverbal communication鈥� between a juror and Bellar, said Assistant Attorney General Bill Rollstin.
He suggested that Bellar sent a signal Wednesday by clenching his fists and shaking them in an 鈥渁ffirmative way.鈥�
But Bellar鈥檚 attorney, Andrew Kirkpatrick, said that was a misinterpretation: Bellar was excited because the lawyer had offered him Skittles candy for his birthday.
鈥淢aybe she likes him. Maybe she doesn鈥檛 like him,鈥� Kirkpatrick said of the juror. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no way of telling what鈥檚 in a juror鈥檚 mind and what exactly she鈥檚 doing or thinking.鈥�
Musico鈥檚 attorney, Kareem Johnson, said claims of flirtatious behavior are 鈥渏ust sexist.鈥�
鈥淭his is a juror that both sides agreed upon,鈥� he said. 鈥淪he is supposed to judge the witnesses and judge the defendants. She鈥檚 got to look over here.鈥�
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White reported from Detroit.
Ed White, The Associated Press
