Judge sentences juror to jail for lying

ATLANTA, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Superior Court Judge James Bodiford has sentenced a prospective juror to 10 days in jail after she admitted lying about being late for jury duty.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Bodiford sentenced 34-year-old Atlanta resident Dontra Heard to 10 days in Fulton County jail Friday after she confessed her sick child was not the real reason she was late for jury duty.

"She was sick," Heard told Bodiford. "But I didn't go to the hospital with (her)."

The woman then refused to answer additional questions regarding her daughter's illness and Bodiford found her guilty of contempt of court.

The Journal-Constitution said the sentence came the same day as the final two jurors were selected for the trial of Brian Nichols, who is accused of killing Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes and three others in 2005.

The newspaper said the jury selection process in the homicide case had already taken 32 days as attorneys for both sides selected from a jury pool of more than 240 people.