James Traficant
More than seven years after voting guilty on bribery and other charges that eventually saw the first expulsion of a sitting US Congressman since the Civil War, jurors who sat on the trial of James Traficant are speaking out, with very different perspectives on their decision.
Leo Glaser, who was Juror #8 during the trial, recanted his guilty vote back in 2002, after reviewing additional testimony from former U.S. Aerospace executive Richard Detore that did not make to trial.
“I know it’s after the fact, but now I believe that there’s no doubt
that the government was out to get him, and if they want you, they’ll
find enough evidence to make you believe that the Earth is flat,” Glaser told CNN back in 2002. The Independence, Ohio resident has now made Traficant a personal “innocence project,” attending the disgraced Democrat’s sentencing and welcome-trial in Youngstown several weeks ago.
Juror Scott Grodi, who was 21-years-old at the time and excused after closing statements were made due to a death in his family, also believes Traficant is not guilty. Grodi was reportedly “shocked” to hear about the Traficant verdict.
According to House testimony by Traficant, Grodi was originally going to be excused for only two days from the trial but was dismissed when he returned. Grodi told him the prosecution “wanted him out” of the trial because he was convinced of the Congressman’s innocence.
“I knew Jim Traficant was innocent,” Grodi reportedly told Traficant. “I could see how he [the prosecution] impeached their witnesses and how they were lying.”
Grodi reportedly told Traficant that the woman next to him also felt he was innocent. When Traficant tried to get an affidavit from the woman juror, her attorney informed him that she was afraid to get involved.
35-year veteran court reporter Charles A. Stepan believes the government set an intimidating tone in the courtroom to influence jurors and viewers. In an op-ed letter to local Ohio Valley newspaper Vindy, Stepan wrote the following:
“People entering the federal courthouse in Cleveland went through a thorough empty-your-pockets search routine. Standard, OK … then as you approached the trial courtroom you were again stopped and put through another empty-your-pockets search. A little much. This search was placed between the jury room and the courtroom. Did it have an impression on the jurors? I don’t know. Once in the courtroom,
however, I counted 17 bailiffs and federal marshals stationed around the courtroom. Now, this was not the Lockerbie bomber, but a United States congressman on trial. Did this influence the jury? It sure influenced me as a observer.Nonetheless, this was not what I considered the most unfair part of the proceedings; rather it was the tone of voice the judge used in addressing the congressman. “Mr. Congressman, you know better than that!” Sounds OK in print, but if you heard the judge’s voice during the trial, or at least the day that I was there, you would have to wonder how the jurors could not be influenced by it.
Helen Knipp
Jury forewoman Helen J. Knipp has also spoken out since Traficant’s release, saying that every bit of evidence was sorted out piece-by-piece and up-and-down.
“No one tried to influence anyone that I knew of, unless it was somewhere else – because outside the courtroom we all kept separate,” Knipp says.
Knipp also believes Traficant is guilty of the various charges. “I hope his time has taught him a lesson,” Knipp says, and Ohio residents would be “foolish” to vote him in as Congressman again.
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thank you for the article – Rick, theradioavenger.. tonight we should address the Traficant fiasco.
Traficant has more integrity than any Democrat in the Congress at the time of his dismissal and today. I did not believe he was guilty, but even if he was, he still has more integrity than any Democrat in Congress today and then.
He thought for himself and refused to walk the Democrat playbook too often, and that was a no-no. I am glad he is out of jail and I hope he does well in life. At least while he was in jail, he had company he was familiar with given that he had been in Congress for some years with similar inmates there.
The wild man and his living hair piece is back,,,,, I always like him, he's a hoot and he stood up to other politicians,,,,,,,
watched traficant on the hannity show the other day. hannity tried to make him look bad for merely speaking out against AIPAC's influence on our politics.
I can't tell you how much I hate hannity. that guy is such a disinformation *****.
kudos to Traficant for speaking out.
I like Traficant now, just for his whole premise of being out of prison, and looking for revenge on the crooked guys. All while being ready to blow the whole place up as a means to the end.
I hope the story becomes as movie-worthy as the first glance.
tadair919, speaking out about AIPAC is sure to get the person labelled as a nutcase, anti semite, someone whose views have no place,etc. Funny isn't it, how THAT is pretty much proof of what a few brave people say?
Traficant is a true patriot when it comes to doing whats right for the United States of America.He was on AIPAC’s hit list because he would NOT kow-tow to them on aid for Israel. He also knew the Constitution well and represented his constituents in the Mahoning Valley even though it was a sea of Dago mob corruption. He may have been a small time crook, but stood up steadfastly for the country. I would vote for him based on his Constitutional principles which are Conservative. What I have seen of Congress, most abide by the George Bush rule; “Go along to Get along”!
Rick Berger again! I posted a message on Traficant discussing the "black man deported to Nigeria for not lying for the feds!" I discuss the above mentioned jurors Mr. Grodi and Mr. Glasior in my book. As for the above named helen knipp, jury NAZIS, uh, forewoman, according to Glasior and Grodi, she shouted down ANY AND ALL criticism of the prosecution and the judge! From the FIRST day of trial she said Jim was guilty! Wait till you read about the "jurors' notebooks" and how they were suppose to be "confidential," and yet the feds clandestinely read them every night , unbeknownst to the jurors! The prosecutors, craig s. morford, matthew b. kahl and bernard a. smith knew what the jurors were writing and thinking! That's why they and the 177 to 200 fbi and irs agents who were part of Jim's "screw job," are GUILTY OF TREASON, for violating the U.S. Constitution! When you read what they did to Jim, you will realize that it was CRIMINAL as to what they did ! Congressman James A. Traficant is going to CLEAR HIS NAME !! Thank you!
I have loved Jim T since I first saw him going off on C-Span. I know all you homeland security people are reading this so let me say what a wonderful job you all are doing, and please hire me because i want some job security and we all know where, only, THAT exists. I disagree with Jim on some issues,–I'm a little hesitant to slam Israel, simply because Jesus came from the line of David..and i don't agree with casinos being a good business, but as long as it's the Indians and their land, well, they are at the least owed the right to NEVER GIVE A SUCKER AN EVEN BREAK! Love you Mssr. T and keep up the good work disrupting those rascals in the beltway. While you were in the joint, you might have missed Louis Black (???) addressing the TV-Radio correspondents dinner in DC..it was Black at his absolute best. He had to improvise giving them the bird without using his finger..and they were dying of him.