Lawyer’s Business Solicitation of Haun Juror Probed

The county’s top public defender said Friday that he is investigating the actions of a deputy lawyer who admitted this week to soliciting business from jurors.

“It is a serious situation,” Kenneth I. Clayman said. “I am investigating it. I am concerned.”

Deputy Public Defender Gary Wayne told a judge that he recently approached a juror in the Diana Haun murder trial to size him up as a possible business prospect.

Wayne explained that when he is not handling child-dependency matters for the Ventura County public defender’s office, he runs an Amway network marketing business for extra money.

He admitted during an informal court hearing on the matter this week that contacting the juror was inappropriate--not to mention a potential breach of ethics, given that the public defender’s office is representing Haun.

Clayman said his obvious concern centered on the issue of a deputy public defender talking with jurors. Wayne will continue working for the office while the investigation goes forward, he said.

Wayne approached a male juror eating lunch by himself outside the courthouse cafeteria, he told Judge Frederick A. Jones.

After a 20-minute conversation, which included Wayne getting the man’s phone number and business card, the lawyer said he realized the man was a juror in the Haun trial and promptly left.

The juror is remaining on the case.