Yes, Your Honor: I Can Treat This Riff-Raff Impartially
July 24, 2006
I guess Scott Vachon, a member of the Laconia School Board, didn't take high-school civics:
Stephen Goupil is serving at least 35 years in prison after being found guilty of leading a home invasion in Laconia in April 2004 and repeatedly raping a 24-year-old woman at knifepoint. He was convicted of five counts of rape and one of theft.
Goupil’s lawyer, Mark Sisti, said the trial court should have set aside the verdicts after learning that Scott Vachon, a member of the Laconia School Board, referred to defendants as “local riff raff” on a personal Web blog four days before jury selection.
Vachon also is said to have posted a statement in which he said he was frustrated to have to serve on a jury that would require him to spend time listening to defendants trying to prove they were innocent.
There's so much wrong with Vachon's attitude, that I really don't have any commentary. I would like to get a hold of the trial transcript, however, to see whether Mr. VAchon perjured himself. Ordinarily during jury selection, the trial court will ask the venirepersons whether there is anything they know about the defendants that might cause them to prejudge the case. Given that Mr. Vachon considered the defendants to be "riff raff," I have a hard time understanding how he truthfully could have answered, No, when asked that question.