Connecticut court rejects murderer's appeal over dismissed juror who believed he wasn't guilty
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Connecticut Supreme Court has rejected the appeal of a convicted murderer who claims the trial judge improperly dismissed the only member of the jury who believed he wasn't guilty.
Justices issued a 7-0 ruling Tuesday rejecting the allegations raised by Miguel Gonzalez, who was convicted of murder in 2011 after a third trial and sentenced to 50 years in prison. Gonzalez was found guilty of shooting Miguel Vazquez to death at a Bridgeport house party in 2007.
Gonzalez's lawyers argued that trial Judge John Kavanewsky was wrong to dismiss forewoman Quamay Alves-Baldwin, who they said was the lone holdout on the jury.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kavanewsky found that Alves-Baldwin was refusing to deliberate and suggested without evidence during deliberations that witnesses were bribed.