Saturday, April 16, 2005

Moore Haven Drug Prisoner Wins Appeal

Judge's Error Allows Him New Trial
MOORE HAVEN, FL -- 29-year old Cedric Frazier, convicted two years ago for
trafficking cocaine and possesion of marijuana and sentenced 15 years, is
now eligible for a new trial after the Fourth District Court of Appeal found
an error during his Broward County circuit court jury trial. During jury
selection the prosecutor got a Jamaican native women released from jury duty
by the judge arguing Jamaica "is known to be a high area for narcotics..."

But Defense attorney Sidney Fleischman argued for the black woman juror,
since she was the only potential juror at the time who is black, like his
client. The appeals court said the trial judge was wrong when he ruled to
dismiss the juror. Frazier has been in custody for more than two years in
Moore Haven Correctional but now could be released on bond pending a new
trial.
The circuit judge in Broward county has reportedly been cited for 13
violations of judicial rules in previous cases.

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