Corruption Watch: Panama City Beach,
FUNNY VIDEO of Stuart Tettemer swearing in as mayor of Panama City Beach.
April 26, 2024 - Photos from today: Judge Kelvin C. Wells was upset that he had to grant Hoot Crawford’s motion to interview the juror who lied to get on the jury.
I mean Judge Wells was huffing and puffing, and rubbing his head, but Crawford’s appellate attorney Michael Hufferman had controlling law on his side.
Judge Wells agreed with State Attorney Larry Basford’s prosecutor, who argued that lying to the Court is OK if there’s a conviction. Plus, it’s no big deal. Just a “Hail Mary” by Crawford.
Basford’s prosecutor argued that they needed “to protect the sanctity of the jury.”
This sort of jury misconduct is a crime, and grounds for a mistrial.
Judge Wells tried to save the prosecutors. He ruled that he would interview the juror himself. Judge Wells wanted to schedule it for a Zoom interview, but Ufferman insisted on doing it in person.
Meanwhile WMBB reported that Crawford “went unpunished.” WJHG echoed the same thing. Neither reported about the juror who lied.
Jan. 26, 2024 - Today I watched our State Attorney's Office argue that it's OK for jurors to lie during jury selection as long as they get a conviction.
Basford's prosecutor told Judge Wells that the Supreme Court has ruled it's OK for prospective jurors to lie sometimes. In fact most times. No harm, no foul.
In fact, Basford's prosecutor argued, "the sanctity of the jury" depended on Judge Wells allowing the juror to lie to the Court under oath.
And besides, he said, it's just a last minute "Hail Mary" by Hoot Crawford to try to overturn his conviction.
A post conviction investigation showed that one of the six jurors made a material false statement when asked if he or anyone in his family had been the victim of a crime.
He said no.
But that was a blatant lie. Public records show that this juror was a witness in a domestic violence case against his wife. It was a big draw-out ordeal that his wife suffered through.
Had the juror told the truth, Crawford would have asked for a different juror. That is fraud upon the Court, a serious crime, and cause for a mistrial.
But Judge Wells REALLY didn't want to grant Crawford's motion to interview the juror. He didn't mind being lied to if it led to a conviction.
I mean, Judge Wells was huffing puffing, he was squinting and rubbing his forehead when Crawford's appellate attorney Michael Ufferman showed that the Court HAD to grant the motion.
Or he would file an immediate appeal. There was just no wiggle room for Judge Wells to help the prosecution.
Judge Wells had to grant Crawford's motion to interview the juror. But the judge said he wanted to be the one to ask the questions. In private. By Zoom.
Crawford's attorney insisted on doing it in person at least. Judge Wells relented.
How can State Attorney Larry Basford argue that it's OK for prospective juror to lie during jury selection about significant material facts?
Either Basford upholds the law as a matter of principle, or he doesn't.
He's running for reelection in August against Eric Garmon for State Attorney, a U.S. Marine and a business attorney.
Garmon is big on honoring the oath of office. He has sworn to protect and defend the Constitution as a law-enforcement officer as well.
Without a doubt, the best thing we could do is elect Garmon as State Attorney in the 14th Judicial Circuit.
He would be the top prosecutor in the following counties: Bay, Gulf, Washington, Jackson, Calhoun, and Holmes.
This perversion of our justice system would be cleaned up very quickly.
April 26, 2024 - Hoot crawford NOT sentenced today. His appellate attorney was granted an opportunity to question Juror Brown.
Brown told the Court that neither he or his family had been the victim of a crime. That was not true.