Molloy closes doors for jury instruction arguments
Court ended Tuesday afternoon behind closed doors. The court was closed to the public while attorneys from both parties discussed jury instructions before Judge Donald Molloy.
Last week, Molloy said that jury instruction would be argued before the public. But the clerk of court told reporters and onlookers differently Tuesday.
After Molloy dismissed the jury, attorneys for both the prosecution and defense met in Molloy’s chambers to discuss the instructions. The lawyers emerged from the judge’s chambers, left court out the backdoor to review what they had just come up with, and the sparse audience was told the remainder of court for the day would be off the record.
Molloy told the court last Wednesday that he had heard only one other case in front of an audience, and in the name of transparency, he said, jury instruction in this case would be argued before the court.
Jury instruction will precede closing arguments and will be open to the public Wednesday morning.
–Will Grant (posted 5 p.m.)
Posted: May 5th, 2009 under News.
Tags: Grant, Jury, jury instruction