The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

THE jury in Adrian Gibson’s corruption trial was discharged yesterday after a Supreme Court judge dismissed two jurors for failing to obey protocols.

A jury of entirely new people must now be empaneled, an exercise scheduled for July 24 in a trial that has already faced several delays.

During cross-examination before Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson, a woman juror admitted to discussing the case out of court.

She said she discussed the trial with her husband to determine if he was related to Mr Gibson.

She said her husband confirmed that Mr Gibson is his distant relative.

Justice Grant-Thompson discharged her because she spoke with a relative about the case despite explicit instructions not to. She barred the juror from being a part of a jury in any future trial.

 The second juror admitted to knowing Tanya Demerrite, a witness who took a plea deal last year to avoid prosecution.

 The juror said she knew Ms Demerrite when she worked as a parking attendant at a business. She said after seeing press reports that Ms Demeritte would be a witness, she saw the woman in court when jurors were asked to disclose potential relations to them.

 The juror also admitted she read news on the case after being empaneled.

 Justice Grant-Thompson dismissed her from the trial for reading outside sources and failing to rely exclusively on the evidence presented in court. The juror will be barred from participating in a trial for a year.

 After lawyers for the defendants argued that the two jurors could not be replaced, the judge discharged all jurors.

 Gibson is accused of enriching himself to over $1m through illicit cheques and wire transfers in connection with contracts the Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) awarded while he was executive chairman.

 WSC’s former general manager, Elwood Donaldson, Jr, Rashae Gibson, Gibson’s cousin, Joan Knowles, Peaches Farquharson and Jerome Missick are also charged.

 Together, the group face 98 charges, including conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, fraud, receiving and money laundering.

 The case continues on Friday.