Alternate juror awaits Mathis trial outcome

Man says 'gut feeling' is Internet cafes was not gambling

Channel 4's Kumasi Aaron speaks to an alternate juror awaiting the outcome of the Kelly Mathis trial.

SANFORD, Fla. – One man spent the last four weeks at the Kelly Mathis trial, and now he's talking about what he heard.

On Thursday, he learned he was an alternate juror and was relieved of his duties. But as the jury deliberates, he was back at the courtroom, anxious to see what they will decide.

Recommended Videos



The 44-year-old says as he listened to witness testimony and attorneys during the trial, his "gut feeling" says what happened at the Internet cafes was not gambling. It's an opinion made stronger, he said, by expert witness testimony that it was gaming software instead.

The man says he believed the defense when they said the law had not caught up with technology.

When it comes to Mathis' involvement, the man says it will be a "difficult decision."

The alternate says for the most part, he believed Mathis was giving legal advice, but there were some things that made him wonder.

He says the "tricky part" for the jury will be determining if there was gambling at the internet cafes. He says if it's determined there was, then the other things concerning Mathis' involvement as more than an attorney must be true.

He says what would have helped in the decision-making process during trial is hearing from Chase Burns and Johnny Duncan, other key leaders of Allied Veterans of the World.

When the alternate found out he was not on the jury, he felt a mixture of disappointment and relief, he said. He says the jury is a diverse, yet cohesive group, and members are on a first-name basis.