A foul-mouthed juror is sowing discord at John “Junior” Gotti’s racketeering trial with diva-like behavior and a plan to push deliberations past Christmas, a fellow panelist snitched to the judge.
Juror No. 7 — a postal worker — announced last week that she “intends to take her time and is not going to allow any f- – -ing body to rush her to a decision,” according to an anonymous letter received yesterday.
“Apparently she is looking forward to being put up in a hotel. She has made numerous remarks about how much she loves being on jury duty because it keeps her away from her job,” the letter says.
“She loves being escorted for her cigarette breaks, feels like a movie star and loves the attention.”
The young juror is also allegedly enamored of Gotti defense lawyer Charles Carnesi, calling him “her ‘man,’ ” and commenting on how he “looked very handsome one particular day.”
“You should see her in the jury box, how she gives her undivided attention to the defense team, as if there wasn’t anyone else in the courtroom,” the letter says.
But if the revelations gave the mob scion a boost, the writer’s mistaken reference to Carnesi as “Charles Carneglia” — a vicious Gambino hit man who has figured prominently in trial testimony — caused equal concern.
“A juror thinks the guy representing me is a five-time murderer — what shot do I have?” Gotti remarked after reading the note in Manhattan federal court.
The typewritten, two-page letter says the woman “refers to us jurors as ‘these people’ and she constantly uses the ‘F’ word,” which the writer said “is very offensive and is creating a hostile environment.”
Judge Kevin Castel said he was most worried about an allegation that the juror violated his orders by blabbing about the previous dismissal of another panelist, but individual questioning of the jury didn’t turn up anyone who said they had heard her.
The judge then re-assembled the panel and delivered a stern warning for them “to be respectful of one another” and not discuss the case with anyone.