Peek at Jurors’ Notes May Bring Discipline

The district attorney’s office is considering taking disciplinary action against a prosecutor who thumbed through jurors’ notes during a recess in a Huntington Park Municipal Court trial, an official said Thursday.

“It’s the first time we’ve ever heard of anything like this,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Michael Tranbarger, assistant director of branch and area operations, adding that an investigation into the incident is under way.

Judge Russell F. Schooling declared a mistrial Monday in a misdemeanor case against Mario Meza after learning from the judge’s clerk that Deputy Dist. Atty. Renee Urman, 33, had looked through jurors’ notebooks during the lunch recess.

Explanation Told

Tranbarger said the incident occurred Jan. 22, after only one witness had taken the stand.

“Her explanation was that she was curious as to whether they (jurors) were listening,” Tranbarger said. “A rational explanation but not a good one.”

“The trial was tainted at this point,” said Meza’s attorney, Sherri L. Garthwaite. “There was no way to remove the possibility that even subliminally something might come out in argument that might sway the jurors.”

Dismissal Sought

Garthwaite said she is seeking a dismissal of the case on grounds of prosecutorial misconduct. Meza, of Cudahy, is charged with grand theft for allegedly misappropriating $1,200 from a student loan program.

“I don’t know if it was intentional or not, but if it was not, this shows a gross void in the training of district attorneys,” Garthwaite said.

A hearing on the motion to dismiss is scheduled for Feb. 5.

Urman, a deputy district attorney for 13 months, did not return a reporter’s telephone calls.