After lunch today, Judge Coleman brought to light that he had been made aware of two jurors who had been approached during lunch by Dupree supporter and District 4 County Supervisor Ron Woullard. Judge Coleman questioned the jurors if such contact was trial related. Both said, “no”
After the trial finished today and most all of the media and onlookers had departed, Ware’s legal team asked the judge to reveal the identity of the supervisor and for the opportunity to question him about this contact. This contact is highly unprofessional for an elected official to engage.
Woullard was still in the building, and he was summoned by Judge Coleman to appear before him. The video of the encounter is below. In it he describes a wave he made to two jurors, but instead it looks like a signal of some kind. It’s almost as if he is signaling the numbers 10,20 with his hands. When the Judge Coleman dismissed him, Woullard approached Johnny Dupree and showed the mayor the same hand gestures, and mayor reacted in extreme frustration and demanded that HP stop filming. He then turned to the bailiff and ordered HP cameraman removed from the courtroom. The bailiff didn’t not act on Dupree’s orders. This is yet another example of how Mayor Dupree abuses his power to bully the little guy and to coverup corruption in his administration.