The Associated Press
NEW YORK - Martha Stewart's lawyers asked Wednesday for a new trial, saying that one of the jurors who convicted her lied about his criminal record during jury selection.
In a filing in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, defense lawyer Robert Morvillo accused juror Chappell Hartridge of violating his oath, lying to serve on the jury and depriving Stewart of her right to a fair trial.
Stewart was convicted March 5 along with her broker, Peter Bacanovic, of obstructing justice and lying to the government about her sale of of ImClone Systems stock.
Stewart is scheduled to be sentenced June 17, when she faces from 10 to 16 months in prison.
Her defense lawyers said in court papers that they have learned that Hartridge was arrested for an alleged assault on a woman in 1997. In a juror questionnaire, Hartridge said he had never been in court other than for a minor traffic violation, the lawyers said.
Hartridge was arraigned on the assault charge, which was later dropped, the lawyers said.
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