Goland Juror Indicted in Alleged Offer to Fix Case : Courts: If found guilty of tampering in illegal-contribution trial, Huntington Beach man could get 5 years.

A federal juror, removed for suspected tampering with the jury’s deliberations just hours before Los Angeles businessman Michael R. Goland was convicted last May of making an illegal political donation, was indicted Wednesday on two felony counts of obstruction of justice and criminal contempt.

U.S. Atty. Lourdes G. Baird said Barry Kuhnke, 32, of Huntington Beach, a U.S. Defense Department employee, is alleged to have handed a note to Goland outside the courtroom offering to attempt to fix the case.

The obstruction of justice charge against Kuhnke carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The criminal contempt charge has no prescribed maximum, except that the court could not impose both a fine and imprisonment.

Goland, a major contributor to pro-Israel candidates and causes, told his attorney of the alleged offer from Kuhnke, which Goland said he had brusquely rejected. His attorney notified U.S. District Judge Dickran Tevrizian. The next day, Tevrizian removed Kuhnke from the jury.

Baird said the indictment followed an investigation by the FBI. Kuhnke could not be reached Wednesday for comment.

Last month, Goland was sentenced to serve a three-month jail term for the election violation involving a $120,000 contribution designed to siphon support away from Ed Zschau, Sen. Alan Cranston’s Republican opponent in the 1986 U.S. Senate race.

According to Asst. U.S. Atty. Stephen A. Mansfield, the indictment of Kuhnke charges that on May 2 the juror disobeyed the court’s order not to contact anyone involved in the case, approached Goland in a parking garage near the courthouse, discussed the jury’s deliberations and asked Goland which of two alternative verdicts he would prefer.

The handwritten note Goland handed over to authorities, and which he said came from Kuhnke, read:

“Michael, I can make it happen. This is the best I’ve been able to negotiate today. It is not ideal, but please tell me what is better for you. I need to know immediately. Show me a finger one or two. One, hung on all six counts or two, not guilty on Counts I, II, III, IV and VI but guilty on V.”

In the final jury verdict, Goland was convicted only on the fifth count.