SOUTHLAND : McMartin Jurors Return

The McMartin preschool molestation trial, halted by a juror’s illness Tuesday, was interrupted again today when another juror’s child became ill, but the jury planned to deliberate for a half day.

A bailiff for Superior Court Judge William Pounders, Jim Gilpin, said the latest problem arose when a juror had to take a child to the doctor. He said the juror promised to be in court by afternoon, and other panelists were told to return then to resume their talks.

A juror who appeared to have the flu on Tuesday returned to court, but said “he wasn’t feeling 100%,” Gilpin said. But the juror was willing to go ahead with deliberations.

The siege of illness struck the trial just after Pounders said it appeared the verdicts were imminent this week.