In 2004, a 34-year-old man was struck and killed by a Metra train near Berwyn, Illinois. His family sued and the jury awarded them $4.7 million. After the trial, Metra learned that one of the jurors, Eve Bradshaw, kept a running commentary during the trial and deliberations on her personal blog, The Green Room. The court had given jurors instructions not to communicate about the case.
She wrote about the trial in detail, including her thoughts on witness testimony, the performance of the lawyers, and even the jury’s deliberations. When the lawyers found out about her blog, they asked the court for the opportunity to question jurors about whether they’d been aware of it and the extent that they’d been prejudiced by Bradshaw. The court denied the motion.
Metra has now appealed that decision to the state’s highest court, reports NBC Chicago. The NBC Chicago website has a video featuring some of the more outrageous comments Bradshaw posted.
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