MONTGOMERY, Ala.-
Jurors in the corruption case against former Gov. Don Siegelman and ex-HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy discussed the case in e-mails before convicting them, violating the judge’s instructions, defense attorneys said in a motion Monday seeking a new trial.
The motion cited a sworn statement from a juror, who was not identified, and copies of e-mails that attorneys said they received by mail. In those e-mails, jurors express confusion about evidence and indicate they discussed the case among themselves over the Internet, the motion says.
“We expect to get what every defendant is guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment and that is a fair trial,” said David McDonald, one of Siegelman’s attorneys.
Chief federal prosecutor Louis Franklin said he had not read the motion and would have no immediate comment.
Siegelman and Scrushy were found guilty after a two-month trial on bribery and conspiracy charges. Prosecutors said Scrushy arranged $500,000 in contributions to Siegelman’s campaign for a statewide lottery in exchange for being appointed by Siegelman to a seat on an influential hospital regulatory board.
The motion for a new trial quotes the unnamed juror as saying in the sworn statement that at least one juror brought into deliberations confusing information that apparently came from the Internet.
“I thought that the governor had put money from HealthSouth in his personal account,” the unnamed juror is quoted as saying. Testimony during the trial was that Scrushy arranged campaign contributions, but no money went directly to Siegelman.
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