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A juror in a murder conspiracy trial has found themselves dismissed after making a bizarre comment to prosectors on the case.
Prosecutors in Stamford, Connecticut, are in the midst of the trial for Michelle Troconis, who has been accused of conspiracy to murder in relation to her ex-boyfriend's estranged wife, Jennifer Dulos.
Jennifer went missing in May 2019, and investigators believe her husband, Fotis Dulos, killed her in the garage of the home.
Troconis is accused of having then helped him cover up the murder.
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Fotis was charged with Jennifer's death, but died by suicide before he could stand trial.
Troconis is now facing charges of conspiracy to murder, tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution, but the jury had to undergo changes this week after one alternate juror allegedly made a strange comment.
It happened on Wednesday (January 17), when Assistant State Attorney Liz Moran and fellow prosecutor Michelle Manning were about to get on an elevator, but realized two jurors and a bailiff were already inside.
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Judge Kevin Randolph explained that as the prosecutors walked away from the elevator, one of the alternate jurors told them they 'loved' them.
He shared the details after removing the jury from the courtroom.
Bailiff Christian Alvarado, who had been on the elevator, said under oath: “I was on the elevator, coming back from lunch with the two jurors and it made a stop on the second floor.
"Attorneys Moran and Mannin tried to get in the elevator, they turned back around and in the midst of this I said, ‘Thanks, Liz.’
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"The juror stuck his head out and said, ‘We love you’. The door closed and we went on our way.”
After hearing about the comment, Judge Randolph questioned the juror without cameras present before announcing that he had been dismissed.
Explaining his reason for dismissing the alternate juror, Judge Randolph said: “The appearance that there was a favourable opinion to the state’s case indicates to the court that it would be difficult to proceed with him as a juror because the impartiality and fairness of that juror can reasonably be questioned."
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The judge also advised the other juror who had been present in the elevator when the comment was made to dismiss the 'we love you' comment the alternate had made.
Jon Schoenhorn, the attorney who is representing Troconis, said the remark made by the juror had been a mistake.
Speaking to the Stamford Advocate, he said: “These things happen. I feel bad for the guy, but you got to understand that this is a formal process and you can’t be too chatty and you can’t be too informal.”
The incident took place on the fourth day of the ongoing trial.
Emily Brown