Sandra Higgins: Ireland: Shaken baby Syndrome case: Bulletin: Irish Times (Reporter Sarah Jane Murphy) reports that the retrial of the childminder has collapsed after it was discovered that a juror had improperly accessed the Internet to get information about a witness... Sandra Higgins had pleaded not guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to the baby."..."This was a retrial after a jury in the first trial failed to reach a verdict. The court heard that the Director of Public Prosecutions will now consider whether to go for a third trial. Judge Nolan said he’d like the Director to consider the matter carefully given what occurred... Judge Nolan remanded Sandra Higgins on continuing bail, and said the case will be dealt with on May 11th."

"The retrial of a child-minder charged with causing serious harm to a 10-month-old baby has collapsed because of a juror researching the case on the internet. Minutes after the jury had retired to consider their verdict following the conclusion of closing speeches, a juror requested to speak to Judge Martin Nolan about “a matter of concern”. The juror said that earlier on  Tuesday, during initial discussions about evidence in the case, the jury foreman disclosed to her that she had googled background information regarding one of the witnesses in the case. “I now feel that I am personally tainted, and that I can’t go in there and deliberate,” she said. After confirmed with the jury foreman that she had googled the witness, Judge Nolan told the jury he was discharging it. Sandra Higgins (36) of The Beeches, Drumgola Wood, Cavan town, Co Cavan had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to the baby at her home on March 28th, 2012. It is the State’s case that, on that day the baby was subjected to an assault sometime between 1.30pm and 4.30pm, when the defendant presented the child for treatment at Cavan General Hospital suffering from seizures, a detached retina, haemorrhaging in the eye and a traumatic brain injury. This was a retrial after a jury in the first trial failed to reach a verdict. The court heard that the Director of Public Prosecutions will now consider whether to go for a third trial.

Judge Nolan said he’d like the Director to consider the matter carefully given what occurred... Judge Nolan remanded Sandra Higgins on continuing bail, and said the case will be dealt with on May 11th."

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/circuit-court/retrial-of-child-minder-charged-with-harming-baby-collapses-1.3069000

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com. Harold Levy; Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog;