A Florida judge approved the defense team’s plea for a mistrial in the Home Depot murder case, citing an “unhinged juror.”
After more than five hours of deliberation earlier this week, an Escambia County judge declared a mistrial for Shelia Agee, who is accused of assisting her son in the murder of his child’s mother at a Pensacola Home Depot last year.
“A particular juror has not treated this case during the evidence with the seriousness that they should have, that has continued during deliberations,” the judge, Coleman Robinson, told WKRG.
According to WEAR News 3, the difficulties began when juror Sallie Sue Smith was discovered holding a crossword puzzle while testifying.
Smith was discovered on Tuesday working on a crossword puzzle during witness testimony. The next day, she was discovered doing another crossword puzzle while deliberating.
Smith told WEAR News that the puzzle “helped her focus,” and she denied making any threats in the jury chamber.
“It was me,” Smith informed WEAR News. “I didn’t realize that was a bad thing. I do this when I’m focused and listening. The bench and witness stand were difficult to see because it was so dark. But I could hear something… That’s how I do things. I just did it and had no idea, and when they told me I wasn’t meant to, I stopped. And then today, when I went into the jury chamber, I found another crossword puzzle.”
Other jurors later expressed fears about their safety during deliberations with Judge Robinson.
“It is just a single piece of paper with a crossword puzzle printed on one side and not sure what’s on the other side,” Robinson told me. “…I cannot ever recall a juror doing a crossword puzzle during a trial.”
Judge Robinson later questioned each juror, calling them in one by one and asking if they felt comfortable to continue after security expressed their concerns.
Nearly 20 witnesses testified, and it took prosecutors less than two days to rest their case against Agee. However, due to juror difficulties, the trial was “hindered beyond repair.”
Smith declined to comment on the verdict, but denied any threatening behavior to WEAR News.
“We retired to the jury room and started to deliberate,” Mr. Smith recalled. “It became clear to me right immediately that I was in the minority of one compared to 11 other people… At first, it seemed logical. There’s a lot of shouting, and I can also shout.
“I do have a loud voice, but I was being shouted down by a lot of people,” she said.
Agee, 51, was charged with first-degree premeditated murder after police discovered text messages reportedly indicating that she helped arrange the shooting death of the mother of her son’s kid, 18-year-old Brooklyn Sims, who was also Sheila’s coworker.
Her son, Keith Agee, 20, was arrested by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office in connection with Sims’ fatal gunshot on August 11, 2023.
“Text messages show that Keith Agee’s mother, Sheila Agee, knew about and participated in the plan to kill Brooklyn Sims. Furthermore, text exchanges between mother and son demonstrate the mother’s role in locating the victim,” the ECSO previously stated on Facebook.
The department shared the alleged text communications between the mother and son on its Facebook page, claiming they occurred just before Sims was shot and died.
“The murder itself is unbelievable, but to know the mother knew about it and helped coordinate it is incomprehensible,” Sheriff Chip Simmons earlier stated on Facebook.
The matter is due to return to court on February 5.
“Another jury will have to return and hear the evidence in front of another jury, and ideally, those specific members will use common sense, respect the law, and treat their fellow jurors with decency and propriety. And will reach a verdict, whatever it is, that is fair and just to both sides,” Robinson stated.
Source: How 80-year-old crosswording juror caused a mistrial in Florida Home depot murder case
