The Anne Arundel County chapter of the NAACP is demanding an investigation into reports that jurors improperly discussed the case of a white Pasadena teenager who was later acquitted of charges in the death of a black teenager in a melee.
Gerald Stansbury, president of the Anne Arundel branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, expressed his concerns in a letter to Judge Joseph P. Manck, who presided over the manslaughter trial of Jacob Tyler Fortney, 19. Fortney was acquitted of all charges May 12.
Stansbury released his letter to news outlets yesterday – a day before the victim’s mother is scheduled to meet with prosecutors to discuss the case. Prosecutors are considering whether to drop charges against other manslaughter defendants and two of Jones’ friends who are facing weapons charges.
In his letter, Stansbury noted that The Washington Post had reported that Cheryl Williams, one of two alternate jurors, said that jurors improperly discussed the credibility of witnesses before the start of deliberations, and that one juror said, “We should talk about this now so we don’t have to waste time later.”
“The fact that an all-white jury took less than four hours … has left some members of the African American community wondering whether justice was served,” Stansbury wrote, asking the judge to “investigate this matter and advise us on the results of your inquiry.”
Asked about the allegations, yesterday, the jury foreman, who asked that his name not be published, said he believed that “something to that effect” was said by the white male alternate while jurors were together. But other jurors “jumped all over him” and the subject was not raised again, the foreman said.
During the trial, the judge repeatedly told the 12 jurors and four alternates that no discussion of the case was to take place until deliberations began.
The male alternate, Michael Dunphy, who said he would have voted for acquittal, said yesterday he might have made that kind of comment. He also said jurors spoke a little among themselves about witnesses but did not delve into details.
“They might say, ‘Yeah, that witness was awful nervous up there,’ but that was it,” he said.
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The issue was not raised during the trial, said David Putzi, one of Fortney’s lawyers.
Jones died in a melee after he and his friends showed up at an outdoor party July 24. Jones was black, as are his friends. The six people who were charged, ranging in age from 19 to 21, are white.
Kristin Riggin, spokeswoman for the county state’s attorney’s office, said her office has tried to reach Williams to ask her to send a letter about her reported claim but has been unable to reach her.