Juror who dated defendant, caused hung jury now pleads guilty

A Bronx juror whose love for the defendant in her trial led to a hung jury pleaded guilty to lying during her jury selection but says she only made a mistake.

Devon Thomas’ 2012 murder trial ended with a hung jury when Katherine Diop was the lone holdout, the New York Daily News reported. Thomas was subsequently convicted of manslaughter in a second trial.

The two had allegedly been involved, with Diop visiting Thomas in jail over 30 times during his trial for the shooting of Abdoul Toure in 2008, the New York Post reported in a related article.

After being the holdout in his hung jury, Diop then dated Thomas after the trial, but she may now face seven years in jail over statements she made during jury selection about not having been previously arrested, the Post added.

Diop pleaded guilty to perjury for her statements but said in a probation report that she had only made a mistake when answering the questions, the Daily News added.

Diop’s sentencing has been postponed until March 22 so that Judge Linda Poust Lopez can review the case.