Mistrial in first Quitman 10 trial

The trial of Lula Smart ended in a mistrial, reports George Boston Rhynes from the Courthouse in Brooks County. So the first of the Quitman 10 is going like the Madison 9 did.

Here’s Part 1 of 3:

George says witnesses today talked about voter intimidation and some said they would not vote again because of this investigation on the Quitman 10+2. He says the GBI agent was asked how they were trained before they were sent to Brooks County, and they had little training in voting investigations, plus they took ballots home from the Board of Elections, including some with no addresses for any of the persons they were investigating.

George also reported WCTV had a camera in the courtroom, after you may recall the Judge told George he couldn’t even record from the street in the front of the courthouse.

Here’s Part 2 of 3:

George interprets this mistrial as ending all the trials.

The defendants’ attorney Chevene B. King Jr. reported:

Attorney Chevene B. King Jr. The judge reconsidered a motion for mistrial that we had made a couple of days ago because of comments that he … that had prejudiced Ms. Smart’s right to a fair trial.

The judge said there was nothing he could say that could make the jurors forget what was heard, so he declared a mistrial. George asked if it was also because of the evidence stacking up. The attorney said if the trial had continued there were good grounds for acquittal.

Here’s Part 3 of 3:


Videos by George Boston Rhynes on YouTube.

-jsq