More Trouble with Ryan Jury

More Trouble with Ryan Jury

WBEZ brings you fact-based news and information. Sign up for our newsletters to stay up to date on the stories that matter.
The judge who presided over the corruption trial of former Illinois Governor George Ryan may investigate allegations made by a dismissed juror.

Evelyn Ezell was removed from the jury before they reached a verdict.

She now says another juror intimidated her by bringing in documents that showed a juror could be removed for failing to deliberate in good faith.

Ryan attorney Dan Webb says the remaining jurors likely felt threatened as well.

“What happens later when the jury deliberates, and some juror wants to disagree with these other groups of jurors, but realizes because of this case law that they’ve been told about, that they ought not to be disagreeing about what’s going on in the jury room? That is clearly intimidating,” says Webb.

Webb wants a chance to interview Ezell, a request the judge denied earlier this week.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Collins called Ezell a willing participant in a media campaign, aided and abetted by Ryan’s attorneys.

U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer called the new allegations serious.

She set a hearing for next Thursday.