From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] MARTIN JURY MEMBERS TO BE QUIZZED OVER `INTIMIDATION' 220454 APR 00 By PA News Reporters Public anger at the life sentence handed out to farmer Tony Martin continued today as lawyers prepared for an inquiry into claims of jury tampering at his murder trial. A poll by the Sun newspaper prompted 55,000 readers to condemn the sentence given to the Norfolk farmer after he was found guilty of murdering a teenage burglar - compared with 798 who believed the sentence was just. The 69 to 1 majority was one of the most overwhelming responses in the newspaper's history and came on the day it was announced that an inquiry into claims of jury "nobbling" is to be opened next week. The Lord Chancellor's Department said that the inquiry would be held on Tuesday in Norwich where all six men and women on the murder trial jury are expected to be interviewed. Although much publicity has surrounded a call made to a local radio station by someone claiming to be a juror, more serious claims of intimidation are reported to centre on at least one other juror. All will be asked if they felt coerced into reaching the 10-2 verdicts that left Martin, 55, from Emneth, Norfolk, facing a life sentence for shooting dead Fred Barras, 16, and 10 years for wounding his accomplice, Brendon Fearon, 30. The Lord Chancellor's Department, in overall charge of the judicial system, confirmed that a meeting would take place to look at the allegations. "The court manager at Norwich, the general manager and the circuit administrator will be involved," he said. "The first stage will be to look into whether there is any need for an investigation." In an interview with a local newspaper shortly before his trial, Martin warned that his conviction puts every law-abiding homeowner in peril. "The most worrying thing is that there are only losers in this case," he said. "To win will not mean a change of law and certainly will not make me feel like I've won anything. But to lose will mean every criminal looking at the verdict and laughing." Martin's lawyers said they were investigating information given by a juror who has contacted them - thought to be the same woman who called Radio Broadland on Thursday saying she was now frightened to leave her house. The unnamed juror had a telephone conversation with solicitor Nick Makin who is now looking into what was said, according to publicist Max Clifford. Mr Clifford, who advised Martin on dealing with the media after his arrest last year, said: "Nick has had a lengthy telephone conversation with one of the jurors and he is looking into that. "What they said was very interesting. I cannot say any more than that." He believes it was the same person who phoned the radio station phone-in claiming to be a juror. That person said that "she would have done the same" in Martin's situation. The woman told a presenter at Norwich-based Radio Broadland that the eight-day trial at Norwich Crown Court which ended on Wednesday had "changed her life". Shortly afterwards Martin's lawyers announced they were investigating suggestions that jurors may have felt pressured. Michael Ballinger, a member of Martin's legal team, said: "There has been a response to a request for information but no announcement will be made on this over the holiday period." Barras's uncle has dismissed claims that anybody connected with his family had intimidated jurors. Tony Joines said: "How could anybody intimidate them? There was only his mother and his two sisters there, and his dad ... I don't believe it." -- The Sun does have its uses. Steve. -------[Cybershooters contacts]-------- Editor: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website & subscription info: www.cybershooters.org
