Kimball Perry

kperry@enquirer.com

Tracie Hunter again asked for a new trial Monday, this time claiming "juror misconduct" by the forewoman of the jury that convicted the judge of a felony.

Hunter's motion for a new trial accuses the forewoman of not properly answering the question of if she was ever a crime victim. The motion alleges the woman was a victim of sex abuse as a teen by her male minister. There is no evidence that an arrest was made in the decades-old incident.

"Had I known that she was sexually molested by her minister, I would have excused her from serving on the jury in this case due to Judge Hunter's status as a pastor and a minister," Clyde Bennett II, Hunter's attorney wrote in Monday's motion.

The Enquirer isn't naming the forewoman. The Enquirer named the three black jurors who want to recant their guilty verdict because that trio filed sworn statements seeking to overturn Hunter's conviction and, therefore, made themselves part of the public record in this case.

Monday's motion may not matter because it was filed after the 14-day post verdict deadline. Bennett noted it couldn't be helped because he didn't know about the alleged sexual abuse until Nov. 13 and filed the motion Monday, two business days later.

The forewoman refused comment Monday as did Special Prosecutor Merlyn Shiverdecker.

This week, Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Norbert Nadelwill rule on another Hunter motion. She seeks a new trial, alleging the three black jurors who changed their minds now should be allowed to take back their guilty verdict. Prosecutors counter the three signed the form that indicated they found Hunter guilty and, when asked by Nadel, admitted that was their verdict. The jury was unable to unanimously agree on eight other charges against the Juvenile Court judge and a mistrial was declared on them.

Hunter was convicted last month for having an unlawful interest in a public contract. She was accused of giving to her brother -- Juvenile Court worker Steven Hunter who was fired for punching a teen inmate -- documents involving the teen victim. Some of those documents included the victim's medical and mental history, information protected by privacy rights. Hunter is alleged to have used her authority as a judge to give her brother documents to which he wasn't entitled.

Hunter faces up to 1 1/2 years in prison when she is sentenced Dec. 2.