The 70 year old former juror, Dennis DeMartin, accused of misconduct in John Goodman’s DUI manslaughter trial has filed a plea of not guilty. DeMartin is charged with indirect criminal contempt for allegedly lying during jury selection and conducting a drinking experiment at home against the judge’s orders before deliberating the “polo mogul’s” fate last year.
After previously denying a request by DeMartin’s attorneys for a jury trial, Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Jeffrey Colbath set a Sept. 30 final hearing in the high-profile misdemeanor case. For this case DeMartin hired two attorneys who volunteered to represent him pro bono; if found guilty, he could be jailed for up to five months and 29 days.
Because DeMartin failed to disclose his ex-wife’s DUI arrest after being asked a question during Goodman’s jury selection on March 6, 2012, the judge stated that DeMartin purposely failed to disclose that information and stated DeMartin probably would have been excused as a juror had he mentioned it.
Due to this glitch, Goodman now has a new trial that hasn’t been scheduled. The next status hearing in the case is Aug. 29. As of right now, Goodman, 49, is on house arrest at his Wellington estate, under $4 million bail conditions imposed by Judge Colbath after determining that Goodman could potentially flee if not monitored.
For more information go to this Sun Sentinel link: http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-06-20/news/fl-dennis-demartin-arraignment-20130620_1_colbath-john-goodman-jury-selection
