ORLANDO (CNN) — While tickets to the Casey Anthony trial may be some of the hottest items in Orlando right now, at least 17 people are there because they have to be — the jurors.
Karen Levey, a court spokeswoman, talks to HLN’s Jane Velez-Mitchell about what life is like for the men and women serving on the jury and as alternates.
CNN: Do jurors get to see their families?
Levey: Sunday afternoons, the jurors have an opportunity to meet with their families and they are private visits. They could be children, moms. It could be grandparents. It could be anybody meeting.
CNN: Are they ever alone?
Levey: The deputies are with them. Orange County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for court security and they’re there with them 24 hours a day, but again you have to trust the jurors to a certain point in any case.
CNN: Have there been any complaints from the jurors so far?
Levey: (Orange County Chief Judge Belvin) Perry is very mindful of the fact that these people have been away from home for five weeks. They’re in hotels. They’re not living their normal life. So he’s pushing the case along. As far as we know, the jurors are very happy. We’ve had no complaints. We haven’t lost a juror. I mean it’s really going well.
CNN: Do they have access to the Internet?
Levey: The jurors have a common room that they can socialize in together and in that room there are some computers. And on those computers, jurors are allowed to pay their bills, order prescriptions, things like that. But it’s all under the supervision of a court deputy.
CNN: How about TV?
Levey: They do (have access to television) — limited stations — everything from like TNT to ESPN they can watch. Shows that normally have news are not authorized by the court.
CNN: How much is the jury costing the state?
Levey: That $361,000 was an estimate. It’s an estimate of jury sequestration costs and only jury sequestration costs. … It includes all of the transportation, lodging, security, meals, that sort of thing for the jurors over an eight-week course.
The-CNN-Wire/Atlanta/+1-404-827-WIRE(9473)
TM & © 2011 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.
