MURDER TRIAL After mistrial, case set to restart

An inappropriate juror remark resulted in the judge's halting the case.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
MERCER, Pa. -- A Sharon man whose murder trial ended in a mistrial in June will be back in court next week.
Jury selection will begin Monday in the case against Michael A. Rogers, 30, accused of murder in the shooting death of Elliott Andre Campbell, 27, of Hermitage.
The case went to trial in June but ended shortly after it began after a juror made a comment to other jurors, about her daughter asking if she feared revenge if the jury found Rogers guilty.
President Judge Francis J. Fornelli, hearing the case, learned of the comment from another juror and determined the remark was inappropriate and in violation of a court directive not to discuss the case in any fashion until testimony was completed and jury deliberations began.
He ruled the case a mistrial and later found the juror, a Mercer area woman, in contempt of court and ordered her to serve 20 hours of community service.
It had taken nearly four days to pick the jury, and the case got only as far as opening statements before it was halted.
The case
Rogers is charged with criminal homicide and carrying a firearm without a license. It isn't a death penalty case.
Authorities said he shot and mortally wounded Campbell after a fight inside Styles Restaurant & amp; Lounge on East Budd Street in Sharon on June 16, 2003.
Witnesses told police that Rogers was knocked down during the fight and got up, pulling a gun and aiming it at Campbell who tried to flee.
Rogers fired one shot at Campbell as he ran out of the doorway and a second shot as he reached that same doorway in pursuit of Campbell, witnesses said.
One of the shots hit Campbell, fatally wounding him, police said.
gwin@vindy.com