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John Goodman Trial Juror Apologizes, Sort Of

The John Goodman trial had a potential juror who almost upset the entire case, which would force out the case’s second set of jurors. He has apologized to the judge for his actions. The juror in...
John Goodman Trial Juror Apologizes, Sort Of
Written by Lacy Langley
  • The John Goodman trial had a potential juror who almost upset the entire case, which would force out the case’s second set of jurors. He has apologized to the judge for his actions.

    The juror in question, Travis Van Vliet, 23, googled the term “sequester” and then told another potential juror that this was a retrial.

    Van Vliet was arrested in court on Thursday, but was back in court on Friday to make his plea and to apologize to Judge Colbath.

    Colbath responded. “You almost ruined four days of work we all had together at great expense.”

    He added, “It was because of juror misconduct that the first jury got set aside and it’s because of your behavior that it nearly came to pass that this second jury that we got yesterday – I almost lost the entire panel.”

    John Goodman trial juror Van Vliet made his apologies, but pled “not guilty” to contempt. Also, on his way out of the courthouse with his parents, he was asked if he was sorry that he had broken the rules set up for jurors, to which he responded, “Sorry? For what?”

    That just doesn’t make his apology to John Goodman trial judge Colbath seem very sincere.

    Van Vliet’s father, William, defended his son, saying the boy was “brilliant” and was always looking up things to find out how they work. I guess one of those things was the John Goodman trial.

    He said of his son, “I wish it never would have happened but it did and nothing we can do about it and we’ll see what happens in court.”

    Van Vliet could face up to five and a half months of jail time if he is convicted of contempt during the John Goodman trial. He had better hope that by some miracle, Judge Colbath doesn’t see his comments on video. And all over the internet.

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