Sick juror puts mob trial deliberations on hold

Jurors deliberating racketeering charges against the reputed leaders of the Philadelphia mob were sent home this morning after a juror called out sick.

U.S. District Judge Eduardo Robreno told the other members of the panel only that the missing juror, an older woman, was "indisposed." He directed them to return Wednesday morning for their sixth day of deliberations.

Neither the judge nor his courtroom deputy, who talked to the juror by phone, publicly explained her symptoms. But the deputy said the juror told him she hopes to feel well enough in a day to resume weighing the charges against reputed mob boss Joseph "Uncle Joe" Ligambi and his six codefendants.

Ligambi's lawyer noted that the jurors have spent three months together, including the last week in particularly close quarters.

"If somebody's sick, somebody else may get sick and we may be going through this a couple more times," attorney Edwin Jacobs told the judge.

Robreno told prosecutors and defense lawyers it was too early to consider whether the jury would have to be reconfigured and start deliberations anew, ostensibly with one of the four alternate jurors who also sat through the 10-week trial but were sent home after closing arguments.

The judge directed the attorneys to first wait until Wednesday to see if the sick juror returns.

In the courtroom gallery, relatives and supporters of the defendants buzzed about how the sick juror might affect the case, or even other people in the room.

"Joe, did you get a flu shot?" Ligambi's sister called out to her 73-year-old brother, who has been jailed since May 2011.

Yes, he said, he had.