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Sheldon Silver Juror to Judge: 'I'm Feeling Pressured, I Need to Leave!'

By Irene Plagianos | November 24, 2015 5:11pm
 Silver will delegate his duties as State Assembly Speaker to a group of senior members, report says.
Silver will delegate his duties as State Assembly Speaker to a group of senior members, report says.
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Getty Images/Daniel Barry

MANHATTAN FEDERAL COURT — After less than two hours of deliberating the fate of Assemblyman Sheldon Silver in his corruption trial, a "stressed out" juror pleaded with a Manhattan federal court judge to be excused, saying she was being criticized by fellow jurors and her heart was pounding.

In a handwritten note to the judge Tuesday afternoon, the unnamed juror asked to be dismissed because: "I have a different opinion/view so far in this case and it is making me feel very, very uncomfortable...I'm feeling pressured, stressed out...told that I'm not using my common sense, my heart is pounding and my head feels weird."

The note continued, "I am so stressed out right now that I can't even write normally. I don't feel like I can be myself right now! I need to leave!"

Asking to be dismissed so early in the trial, under such seeming duress, is quite unusual, legal experts said.

Another note also emerged from the jury room, asking the judge to clarify whether or not giving out New York State funds in exchange for something else is illegal — and whether there was a written code of conduct that addressed that issue.

At about 2 p.m., the judge called the jury back into the courtroom to address their concerns, without specifically mentioning the notes.

“I want to remind you that each juror is entitled to his or her opinion,” she said, adding that jurors should “respectfully exchange views” — then, she sent them all back to deliberations.

Prosecutors allege Silver used his official power to gain illicit fees for himself in two separate bribery schemes.

Defense lawyers claim Silver did nothing illegal, and was simply earning an outside salary.