Supreme Court Justice Bernard Turner will determine on Monday whether to discharge the jury that was selected to hear the murder trial of Kofhe Goodman after he excused a juror yesterday when she revealed that her mother had worked with one of the sisters of the 11-year-old victim.
Goodman, also known as Edwardo Ferguson, is accused of murdering Marco Archer in September 2011.
His lawyer, Geoffrey Farquharson, said the juror may have “poisoned” the jury pool and asked that the entire jury be discharged.
The juror revealed that her mother worked with one of Marco’s sisters six years ago at Atlantis. Justice Turner asked her if she felt that she would be impartial in the matter. She said she did.
Crown counsel Garvin Gaskin said if she can sit impartially he would accept her declaration.
However, while Farquharson said he believed that she would be impartial, he asked for her and the entire jury to be dismissed.
“Not only should she be dismissed, but she may have had a chance to poison the jury pool,” he argued. “She may have interacted with the jury and that may have an effect on the panel.” Justice Turner thanked the juror for bringing the matter to the court and excused her from the jury. He dismissed the other jurors until Monday, April 22 at 10:30 a.m.
Justice Turner reminded jurors to abide by the oath they took earlier in the week.
Marco’s body was found on September 28, five days after he failed to return from a trip to a neighborhood store.
Two of his family members were present in court, while his emotional mother and sisters waited outside.
By Travis Cartwright-Carroll
Guardian Staff Reporter
