Juror's Violation Could Turn The Tables For Buju Banton

Could a female juror’s passion for law compromise the outcome of Buju Banton's trial?

Well, new information is that a female juror on Buju Banton's federal drug and gun trial has revealed in an exclusive interview with New Times, that she researched certain aspects of the case to have a better grasp of them when deliberation came around.

However, standard jury instructions for federal trials tell jurors to "not attempt to research any fact, issue or law related to the case, whether by discussion with others, by library or Internet research, or by any other means or source."

So could violations of these instructions lead to a mistrial and open up a new avenue for appeals?

David Markus, the Miami-based attorney who handled Buju's first trial and retrial said in an email to New Times that "Jurors are given specific instructions not to do their own research for lots of good reasons and that there’s a strong likelihood of a new trial.

Buju Banton is slated to appear in a federal courtroom later this month for resentencing on the gun charge. If guilty the reggae entertainer could get an additional five years to his sentence.