'Top Chef' Extortion Trial Jury Has Question For Judge About Juror
BOSTON (CBS) -- Jurors hit a snag Monday in the trial of four Teamsters accused of threatening and harassing the crew of the TV reality show "Top Chef" when they told the judge that one among them assumed the men were guilty.
The jury is in its third day of deliberations since closing arguments wrapped up Thursday.
Early Monday afternoon, the jury wrote in a question to the judge, "We have a juror who is assuming guilt over innocence. We are not sure how to go on from here. Any suggestions would be helpful."
The judge replied that every defendant is presumed innocent until guilt is established.
"It is a cardinal principle of our system of justice that every person is presumed innocent unless and until his guilt is established beyond a reasonable doubt from evidence properly introduced and admitted at trial," wrote the judge. "The presumption is not a mere formality. It is a matter of the utmost importance."
The four Teamsters are accused of harassing the show's staff, including host Padma Lakshmi, while "Top Chef" filmed at Steel & Rye in Milton in 2014.
Related: Keller: Teamsters, Prosecutors Both Went Too Far In 'Top Chef' Case
They are accused of shouting racial and homophobic slurs at the cast and crew, slashing tires, damaging equipment, and using physical violence.
Lakshmi said she was "terrified" by the actions of the Teamsters, and said she felt bullied and threatened.
Part of the confrontation was caught on camera.
Prosecutors claim the Teamsters were trying to extort jobs from the show, though defense attorneys say they were just protesting outside.
