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One of the original 16 jurors was hit by a car, two suffered deaths in their immediate families and a fourth was dismissed after telling fellow panelists he’d already made up his mind while complaining about the length of the trial.
Yesterday there was a lengthy discussion of continuing with only 11 jurors because yet another member of the panel had vacation plans. The possibility of a two-week break was raised, but the conflict with the juror was quickly resolved.
On top of that, the Bergen County Courthouse has been closed for a flood caused by a broken pipe, dismissed early for weather on one day and closed entirely for another. It’s closed again today due to the ice storm.
The trial resumes next Wednesday — Lincoln’s Birthday, a holiday for state employees.
Superior Court Judge James J. Guida (above, right) will have the only courtroom in use, and Assistant Bergen County Prosecutor Kenneth Ralph (above, left) had to get permission to work since everyone in his office is technically off that day.
This week included an appearance by child sex abuse expert Dr. Philip Esplin, best known for testifying on behalf of Michael Jackson.
Esplin, a forensic psychologist from Phoenix, held jurors’ attention with a down-to-earth manner as he discussed the intricacies of sex abuse cases — proofs, psychological syndromes, the best ways to question and investigate, and pitfalls that can result in false information — in defending Leaf (above, holding eyeglasses).
Also testifying for the defense was private investigator Lisa Reed, a former detective sergeant in the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, who interviewed the then-5-year-old girl in the Leaf case shortly after accusations were made.
Reed is best known for helping the Department of Defense apprehend Roger Charles Day Jr., who was ultimately convicted of defrauding the government of $4.4 million.
In a video of Reed’s interview played by defense lawyers, the girl exonerates Leaf entirely of any wrongdoing.
This was in marked contrast to a forensic interview conducted by Bergen County Prosecutor’s Detective Cora Taylor.
STORY / PHOTOS: Mary K. Miraglia, CLIFFVIEW PILOT Courthouse Reporter
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THE TRIAL:
EXCLUSIVE: The father-in-law of former FOX TV reporter Charles Leaf testified yesterday in his son-in-law’s child sex assault trial that child pornography found by Bergen County prosecutor’s detectives on Leaf’s computer was actually his. READ MORE ….
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EXCLUSIVE: The nanny in the child sex assault trial of former FOX TV reporter Charles Leaf testified today that the alleged victim told her that he touched her “there” — after previously insisting two or three times that he didn’t. READ MORE ….
Charles Leaf (STORY / PHOTO: Mary K. Miraglia, CLIFFVIEW PILOT Courthouse Reporter)
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EXCLUSIVE: Two full days of scrupulous questioning in the child sex assault trial of former Fox 5 TV reporter Charles Leaf ended yesterday in Hackensack with a defense attorney and chief investigator from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office continuing to butt heads. READ MORE ….
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EXCLUSIVE: A retired investigator testified today that Bergen County detectives searched for child pornography on the work computer of former Fox 5 reporter Charles Leaf — a fact apparently not told to defense lawyers or prosecutors before his child sex abuse trial began this week. READ MORE ….
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EXCLUSIVE: The second day in the child sex-abuse trial of former Fox 5 reporter Charles Leaf in Hackensack today featured a former investigator testifying about an interview she observed with the then-4-year-old girl who prosecutors say was the victim. READ MORE ….
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UPDATE: Showing considerable composure, an 8-year-old girl testified in Hackensack today that former FOX 5 reporter Charles Leaf never touched her and that molestation allegations she made to a therapist years ago were fed to her by her nanny, whom she called “Weronika.” READ MORE ….
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