NY Juror Fined for Texting During Rape Trial

NEWSCORE - A juror on a Queens rape case who caused a mistrial when he texted a friend about the deliberations became a defendant Wednesday in his own trial.

Juror Daniel Matz was fined $1,000 for gossiping to his friend about a rape case via email during deliberations.

"I apologize to the court, the other jurors, the defendant and the families involved," Matz said. "I've wasted everyone's time and efforts and I wish it never happened."

The week-and-a-half trial was on day three of deliberations when Matz sent two emails from his Verizon Blackberry detailing the 7-5 split to convict.

"5 Doubting Thomases don't know for certain," he wrote in an email on June 7 about jurors who were unsure whether to vote guilty.

"And were this not a rape case I'd pull the rug from under the prosecution and vote to acquit," he added.

The next day, Matz's emails were reported to the judge who declared the case a mistrial. A retrial was scheduled for September.

"The WiFi is excellent," he boasted from an email with the subject line "Juror #5 reporting to you live."

The judge charged Matz with criminal contempt, giving the juror 60 days to pay the fine or face 30 days in jail.

Source: New York Post