ELLSWORTH – A Superior Court justice concluded Monday that an impartial jury could not be seated for the trial of a Lamoine couple suspected of robbing an elderly relative of $60,000.
That means the joint trial of Steven W. Robbins, 39, and Juanita S. Mullins, 36, is likely to be rescheduled in the coming months, according to Deputy District Attorney Carletta Bassano.
It was the latest setback in a case that already had taken more than 2 1/2 years to go to trial, in part because there are more than 700 pages of discovery evidence to consider.
More than 100 potential jurors filled the Hancock County Superior courtroom on Monday morning, many left over from the murder trial of John J. Turner earlier this month.
After more than three hours, Bassano, defense attorneys Steven Juskewitch and Theodore Fletcher, and Justice Kevin Cuddy failed to reach an agreement.
Juskewitch, who represents Mullins, said the high-profile nature of the case disqualified many immediately.
“[Justice Cuddy] made it clear that he very much appreciates the First Amendment and freedom of the press, but it’s difficult when prospective jurors come in and already knew everything about the case and had their minds made up,” Juskewitch said Monday afternoon. “At least 15 said they couldn’t be fair.”
Robbins and Mullins both face charges of robbery, burglary, kidnapping, theft, assault and obstructing the report of a crime for an incident dating back to January 2005.
According to police reports at the time, two people broke into a 74-year-old woman’s home on Buttermilk Road in Lamoine, handcuffed her to a bed, bound her legs and put a pillowcase over her head. The intruders then stole a safe that contained $60,000 in cash.
The victim, identified as Robbins’ grandmother, was never able to positively identify her attackers, but a lengthy investigation apparently produced evidence that pointed to Robbins and Mullins.
That evidence includes a money trail that showed the couple had an overdrawn checking account one day and were buying a $15,000 automobile with cash the next, according to court documents.
Police also allege that Robbins and Mullins offered conflicting accounts of where they were and what they were doing the night of the robbery. Both have been free on bail since shortly after their arrest.
Juskewitch said he’s anxious to get a trial because he thinks his client is innocent and that the state’s case is shaky.
If a jury can’t be seated again in the coming months from a different pool of potential jurors, the defense attorney said he would consider filing for a change of venue.
erussell@bangordailynews.net
664-0524
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