Burien man who killed 3 for money sentenced to 97 years in prison

Burien man who killed 3 for money sentenced to 97 years in prison, Seattle P-I, Oct. 10, 2008.

After a two-month trial, the jury began deliberations, but on the second day, one juror asked to be excused because she could no longer abide by the court's instructions. The judge excused her and appointed an alternate.

But the defense attorney, Pete Connick, asked for a new trial. When the judge questioned the first juror, she said that she had felt like a token -- she was the only black on the jury for the trial of a black defendant. The alternate who replaced her was also black.

Other jurors provided statements saying they witnessed no racist remarks or bias. In a written decision, the judge concluded that Brown's difficulties stemmed from a disagreement with the other 11 jurors over how to apply the law.

The prosecutor was Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Hugh Barber, who is also a UW Trial Ad instructor.