After guilty verdict, juror asks judge for lesser sentence for Wellington polo mogul John Goodman

Video
Photo

Previous Next

Photographer: WPTV
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Previous Play Next

Regular Photo Size4/4

Posted: 05/03/2012

By: Alex Sanz

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -

A Delray Beach resident criticized for writing a book of his experiences as a juror in the DUI manslaughter case of millionaire John Goodman has sent Fifteen Judicial Circuit Court of Florida Judge Jeffrey Colbath a letter in which he has asked the judge to go easy on the Wellington polo mogul when he is sentenced next week.

"We are all human and make mistakes," Dennis DeMartin, the juror, wrote in a single-page letter.

"I assume he is paying tons more money to his attorneys to find someone else to put the blame on. I do feel sorry for Mr. Goodman, but the fact is he left the scene of a crime without calling 911. Instead of trying to say he was sober which is worst [sic] for not calling 911, he could have saved lots of money by saying he was wrong and put himself on the mercy of the Court."

DeMartin said Goodman came up with an "unproven story" about where he was after the accident and that he should have said, "I had some drinks and I made a mistake that I am truly sorry for."

DeMartin, in the letter, asked the judge to punish Goodman with a lesser sentence.

Goodman, who is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday, May 11th, faces up to 30 years in prison.

The letter was listed as an exhibit to a more than 80-page defense motion that asked the judge to vacate Goodman's conviction, order a new trial or ask jurors additional questions about alleged misconduct.