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The Latest: Juror’s son says dad made mistake with documents

The Latest: Juror's son says dad made mistake with documents | iNFOnews.ca
FILE - In this May 19, 2017, file photo, Brooke Covington, right, a member of the Word of Faith Fellowship church in Spindle, N.C., leaves a hearing at Rutherford County Courthouse, background, in Rutherfordton, N.C., accompanied by an attorney, Joshua Valentine, left, and her husband, Kent Covington. A man has been charged with harassing the jury that is deliberating in the trial of Brooke Covington, a North Carolina minister accused of beating a congregant to expel his “homosexual demons.” The man apparently made a comment Tuesday, June 6, 2017, to the jurors in a hallway that they needed to reach a verdict. Deliberations began Monday, June 5. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek, File)

RUTHERFORDTON, N.C. – The Latest on the trial of a North Carolina minister accused of orchestrating the beating of a gay congregant (all times local):

5:35 p.m.

The son of a juror arrested during the trial of a North Carolina minister charged with beating a gay congregant says his father made a mistake by taking unauthorized documents to court.

The jury was in its second day of deliberations Tuesday in the trial of Brooke Covington, a minister at Word of Faith Fellowship in Spindale, North Carolina, when 71-year-old Perry Shade Jr. was charged with contempt for bringing the papers.

Judge Gary Gavenus had warned jurors not to do their own research.

Gavenus declared a mistrial and sentenced Shade to 30 days in jail and $500 fine.

Shade’s son, Chris Shade, says his father isn’t affiliated with the church and wasn’t trying to influence the trial’s outcome.

A retrial is scheduled for the court term beginning July 17.

___

5 a.m.

Two people were sent to jail during the trial of North Carolina church minister charged in the beating of a gay congregant, but neither was on trial in the case.

The jury was in its second day of deliberations Tuesday in the trial of Brooke Covington, a minister at Word of Faith Fellowship in Spindale, North Carolina, when juror Perry Shade Jr. reported being harassed by someone.

Chad Metcalf, who had a hearing Tuesday for an unrelated traffic violation, was charged with harassing a juror. The judge said Metcalf told the jurors to reach a verdict.

Only hours later, Shade was charged with contempt of court for distributing unauthorized outside material to other jurors.

The judge declared a mistrial. He wasn’t sure when a new trial would be scheduled.

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Abbey Westbury

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