Juror's Drinking Experiment in Polo Mogul DUI Case Questioned

John Goodman was found guilty March 23rd of drunk driving and killing 23-year-old Scott Wilson.

A judge in the DUI manslaughter case of International Polo Club Founder John Goodman is expected to decide whether to throw out the mogul's guilty verdict after a juror revealed he conducted an at-home drinking experiment during the trial, according to a report.

Goodman’s attorney Roy Black has filed several motions to throw out Goodman’s conviction since he was found guilty March 23rd of drunk driving and killing 23-year-old Scott Wilson.

Juror Dennis DeMartin, who made his admissions in his self-published 32-page book Thursday, wrote that he drank the same amount Goodman allegedly drank to test the mogul's state of mind before the crash, according to the Palm Beach Post.

Witnesses during the trial said they saw Goodman drink two shots of Tequila and a Grey Goose cocktail, according to the newspaper.

"It was bothering me that if there was proof that if Mr. Goodman only had 3 or 4 drinks, how drunk would he be? How drunk would I be. I decided to see," DeMartin wrote in his book, according to the Sun-Sentinel. "When the alarm went off the next morning, I got up and felt relieved. The question in my mind the night before was answered to me. Even if a person is not drunk, 3 or 4 drinks would make it impossible to operate a vehicle. I got dressed and was in a fine frame of mind to go to deliberate the evidence we had."

Some attorneys argue DeMartin should only have based his decision on evidence.

"Jurors are not supposed to go home and conduct any experiments," attorney Gregg Lerman said. "You're supposed to base your decision on evidence you hear at the trial, not outside influences."

But attorney Greg Tesh said that jurors naturally come into court with their own perspective.

"People bring in their own perceptions about things, their own experience their own views, their own biases," he was quoted as saying. "One of the things judges always tell jurors is don't leave your common sense at the door."

DeMartin said that he became convinced of Goodman’s guilt after hearing a 911 call he believed contradicted his testimony.

Black filed another motion Thursday after juror Michael St. John told Judge Jeffrey Colbath he felt pressured by other jurors to "go with the flow" and convict Goodman, the newspaper reported.

Goodman faces up to 30 years behind bars at sentencing.

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