Jurors’ googling prompts mistrial in King County murder case

A mistrial has been declared in a King County murder case — thanks to googling jurors.

In August 2021, 27-year-old Montisha Offord was shot to death in the parking lot outside the Phoenix Court Apartments in Renton.

The man Offord was dating at the time, Vaughn Weems, was charged with second-degree murder.

According to the defense’s trial brief, he claimed he acted in self-defense and that Offord sent him threatening text messages. He claimed Offord pulled a black item out of her purse, which turned out to be a can of mace, The Seattle Times reported.

Jurors Google PTSD in King County murder case

Part of the defense’s case was based on their client’s diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, according to the media outlet. The judge learned that during deliberations at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, at least four jurors had googled PTSD, as well as street views of the apartment complex — even though they had been told not to do outside research on the case or consider anything other than the evidence presented in court.

“At its core, I have jurors who have either lied to me or blatantly disregarded these admonishments that I have done on a daily basis,” the judge told the prosecution and defense, according to a recording of the Aug. 8 court proceeding obtained by The Seattle Times.

“I see no other alternative than a mistrial,” he added. “They know damn well they were only supposed to consider what was (presented) in this courtroom, and they didn’t.”

Despite the mistrial, none of the jurors were found in contempt or fined. Another trial is set for October.

Frank Lenzi is the News Director for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here.

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