A juror in the federal securities fraud trial of former Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence is opening up after finding him guilty on 20 of 22 counts.
New Rochelle business owner Tony Nesci has had a month to decompress after the five weeks he spent on the St. Lawrence jury.
He insists he wouldn't change his vote to find the longtime Ramapo supervisor guilty of cooking the books in order to pay for a minor league ballfield he desperately wanted to build.
“He lied, he misled, and he's a public servant,” says Nesci.
Nesci says the prosecutors did a horrible job of explaining the very complicated securities and wire fraud case. He also questioned the motivations of a few of his fellow jurors, some whom he insists came into the jury room very vocal about their prejudices against St. Lawrence.
Nesci’s biggest conflict centered around the notion of sending St. Lawrence to prison for crimes that even he himself questions.
“There was no victim," says Nesci. "Nobody got hurt. He didn't steal any money. He lied. He misled the numbers, but but did he pocket any money? No.”
Nesci says the one thing he learned through the jury experience is that he never wants to sit on one again. He says he believes his fellow jurors took their job seriously, but he's certain he wouldn't want his fate left in their hands.