The Libby jury is now down to eleven not too angry men and women after one of the jurors was exposed, innocently the judge said, to outside information.
The dismissed juror, described by some as the haughty Grand Dame, is a retired curator of prints and drawings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with a patrician manner and a peculiarity of speech where she slowly, enunciates, every, word, she, utters. She was also the sole juror who did not don a red, heart emblazoned tee-shirt for Valentine’s day.
The feeling among the court watchers is that deliberations may move along more expeditiously now that she is gone.
Washington Post story here.
Courtroom sketching is a form of visual journalism or reportage drawing that is slowly dying out. Where once upon a time news organization each had their own artist covering a story, today a “pool” artist often sketches for all. It is a demanding and stressful discipline where the drawing is often done directly and under tight deadline.
After forty-five years of news sketching in courtrooms and congress I’m calling it quits. It’s been sometimes fun, sometimes frustrating, almost always interesting. I’ve been lucky to work with some really great people. Don’t think I’ll miss it, but a little scared of not having a deadline.
While I won’t be sketching in court anymore, I may continue to post to this blog from time to time. Not sure what that might be. I’m about to start a new assignment documenting infrastructure and construction. Could be interesting.
