How WHDH Covered It: WHDH Follows the Jury - WHDH-TV NBC 7 Coverage in HD

Summary

During the Aaron Hernandez trial in Fall River, a 7 News photographer, Bob Kusenelli, followed a juror bus after deliberations to track where jurors parked, intending to locate them for potential post-verdict interviews. He did not approach, photograph, or record any jurors. Two jurors reported seeing a suspicious vehicle, raising concerns about juror harassment. Judge Susan Garsh deemed the matter serious, barring Kusenelli from the remainder of the trial. Despite the incident, jurors confirmed their impartiality remained intact, and deliberations continued. 7 News emphasized transparency, posting full testimony and the judge’s ruling online, underlining their commitment to ethical reporting and jury protection.

Takeaways

• 😀 A judge in the Aaron Hernandez trial called a 7 News photographer, Bob Kusenelli, to the stand to answer questions about his actions after deliberations.
• 😀 Kusenelli admitted to following a bus full of jurors after deliberations ended, but denied photographing or approaching any jurors.
• 😀 The photographer did not take license plate numbers or interact with any jurors in any way during the follow-up process.
• 😀 The photographer followed the bus to determine where the jurors were parking, in case they wanted to speak to the media after the verdict.
• 😀 Two jurors reported seeing a man in a silver Ford Explorer who appeared to be watching them and driving slowly, sparking concerns about juror harassment.
• 😀 Kusenelli explained he was simply using his GPS to navigate back to the courthouse and passed the parking lot a second time by accident.
• 😀 The judge emphasized the seriousness of juror harassment laws, which could carry a 10-year felony charge if violated.
• 😀 Despite concerns, the judge confirmed the incident did not affect the jurors' ability to remain fair and impartial in their deliberations.
• 😀 The court ruled that Kusenelli should be barred from the rest of the trial, although he had no malicious intent.
• 😀 7 News stated that they took the issue seriously, but clarified that they never intended to disrupt the trial or harass jurors.
• 😀 The trial and deliberations were not impacted by the incident, and the jury continued their work with no further complications.

Q & A

Why did the judge call the 7 News photographer to the stand?

The judge called the 7 News photographer to the stand to gather information regarding an incident where jurors reported seeing a man in a silver Ford Explorer, which they believed was following them after deliberations ended.

What did the photographer, Bob Kusenelli, testify about his actions on Wednesday?

Bob Kusenelli testified that he followed a bus full of jurors after deliberations ended to determine where they were parking their cars. However, he stated that he did not take photos of any jurors, write down license plates, or approach the jurors.

What was the concern raised by the jurors regarding the photographer's actions?

Two jurors reported seeing a man in a silver Ford Explorer driving slowly and appearing to watch them. They said the car seemed to circle around them as they drove to their parking area.

What did the photographer do after noticing the bus of jurors?

Kusenelli pulled over in a metered spot and entered the courthouse's location into his GPS. He then followed his GPS around the block, which brought him past the jurors' parking lot a second time as he returned to the courthouse.

Did anyone from 7 News specifically instruct the photographer to follow the jurors' bus?

No, Kusenelli stated that no one from WHDH specifically instructed him to follow the bus. However, he knew that it would be useful information to have in case jurors wanted to speak after the verdict.

What legal implications did the judge mention regarding the photographer's actions?

The judge referred to a statute that prohibits juror harassment, which can be considered a serious matter, potentially carrying a 10-year felony charge. However, she emphasized that no harassment occurred in this case.

How did the judge ensure the jurors' impartiality after the incident?

The judge asked the concerned jurors if the incident in any way affected their ability to be fair and impartial. The jurors answered that it had not.

What was the ruling regarding the photographer's involvement in the trial?

The judge ordered that Bob Kusenelli be barred from the remainder of the Hernandez trial. This decision came after the photographer's actions raised concerns but did not appear to influence the jury's impartiality.

How did 7 News respond to the incident during the trial?

7 News took the matter seriously and emphasized their commitment to protecting the jury's privacy while also fulfilling their role in reporting on the trial. The news organization stated that the photographer made a snap decision that, in hindsight, was not ideal.

What was the current status of the jury deliberations at the time of the news report?

The jury had deliberated for 16 hours over three days at the time of the report, and deliberations were scheduled to continue the following morning.