Sen. Orie corruption juror replaced for sleeping

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The testimony at Republican state Sen. Jane Orie’s public corruption trial in Pittsburgh has been repetitive — perhaps too much so for one juror.

Since it opened last Thursday, the trial has featured a succession of current and former Orie staffers who say they did political campaign and fundraising work for Orie, or her sister, Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin, on state time. Melvin isn’t charged or on trial, but a third sister, Janine Orie, is on trial for allegedly conspiring to use the senator’s staff to help get Melvin elected two years ago.

Testimony was to continue today, but one of the jurors hearing it has been replaced by an alternate. Allegheny County Judge Jeffrey Manning dismissed a woman for repeatedly sleeping during the testimony. She has been replaced with a female alternate juror.