Her ruling came on a motion by the prosecutors and over the objections of defense lawyers. Even if the potential jurors were from Mars and had absolutely no idea why their names were kept secret yesterday, they surely figured it out after reading the questionnaires Cedarbaum told them to fill out. While it's upsetting that Cedarbaum smeared reporters, the real problem Gang Land saw and heard yesterday in courtroom 506 was the judge destroying her own credibility with jurors on the first day of a six to seven week trial. Cedarbaum declined to discuss the matter. If the jury gets the feeling they are being treated like children, and if jurors believe they're being lied to by the judge, of all people, it could start them thinking that nothing's on the level.
All defendants do deserve a fair trial.
Sometimes this happens in federal cases. If it affects your ability to serve, I urge you to let us know. Kerns are charged with racketeering, extortion, arson, loansharking and the murder of Joseph Fiorito in 1990. Prosecutors David Kelley and Randall Bodner charge they killed Fiorito because they believed he was an informer.