Trump alleges 'bias' after Memphis woman, head juror in Roger Stone trial, stands up for prosecutors

Former Memphis schools board member Tomeka Hart is speaking out about her role on the jury that found Roger Stone, an ally of President Donald Trump, guilty of lying to Congress and obstructing an investigation into Russia to protect Trump and his presidential campaign.

Hart was the foreperson, or head juror, for the November 2019 trial. She wrote about her experience to "stand up" in support of the four attorneys who recently quit the prosecution team.

“I want to stand up for Aaron Zelinsky, Adam Jed, Michael Marando, and Jonathan Kravis — the prosecutors on the Roger Stone trial," Hart wrote. "It pains me to see the DOJ now interfere with the hard work of the prosecutors. They acted with the utmost intelligence, integrity, and respect for our system of justice.”

The four resigned after the Justice Department, in an unusual move, backed away from the stiff prison sentence recommended for Stone.

Trump took aim Thursday morning at Hart and her role in the trial saying she "had significant bias."

The case: Prosecutors quit Roger Stone case as DOJ backtracks on prison recommendation for Trump ally

According to the Washington Post, Hart's identity was always known to both Stone’s defense and prosecutors throughout the case and she disclosed a 2012 Democratic bid for Congress during the jury selection process.

Stone’s defense and his trial judge had the opportunity to question Hart directly and challenge her eligibility, according to the Post.

The juror from Memphis: Who is Tomeka Hart, the foreperson in the Roger Stone trial?

Potential jurors were also asked if they, any close friend or family member had ever run for or held federal, state or local office, and if they had formed any opinion about Trump or Clinton, or if their possible connection in the case “would make it difficult for you to be fair and impartial to both sides?”

Trump has publicly criticized the sentence recommendation and overruled the department's career prosecutors. Earlier this week, Democrats called for an investigation and asked that Attorney General William Barr be brought before Congress to testify. Other Senate Republicans largely shrugged off the concerns, with few exceptions.

'I don't think that's appropriate': Trump's involvement in Roger Stone case draws criticism from GOP senators

Trump weighs in:President congratulates Attorney General Bill Barr for 'taking charge' of Roger Stone's sentence

In her post, Hart shared an op-ed a fellow juror, Seth Cousins, published in the Washington Post shortly after the trial in November, "and not just because he said this: 'My favorite person on the jury was an African American woman from Tennessee.'"

Hart gave The Commercial Appeal permission to share the private Facebook post in this story.

“The prosecutors who have now resigned did a masterful job of laying out every element of every charge, backed with ample evidence," Hart said. "As foreperson, I made sure we went through every element, or every charge, matching the evidence presented in the case that led us to return a conviction of guilty on all 7 counts.

“It pains me to see the DOJ now interfere with the hard work of the prosecutors. They acted with the utmost intelligence, integrity, and respect for our system of justice.

“For that, I wanted to speak up for them and ask you to join me in thanking them for their service."

A native Memphian, Hart is the senior program officer for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She currently also serves on the board for First 8 Memphis, which manages funding and vision for early childhood education in Shelby County. From 2005 to 2013, she served on the Memphis City Schools board, including a term as board president, according to her First 8 biography.

She was also a foreperson of a federal grand jury in 2007, according to the Memphis Flyer.

Hart's post is in full below.

I have kept my silence for months. Initially, it was for my safety. Then, I decided to remain silent out of fear of politicizing the matter. But I can't keep quiet any longer. I want to stand up for Aaron Zelinsky, Adam Jed, Michael Marando, and Jonathan Kravis--the prosecutors on the Roger Stone trial who have all resigned from the case in response to the DOJ's interference with their sentencing recommendation. I'm standing up for them now because I was a juror on the case. In fact, I was the foreperson. I am sharing the November 22, 2019 op-ed of Seth Cousins, another juror--and not just because he said this: "My favorite person on the jury was an African American woman from Tennessee." Seth perfectly articulated my sentiments. I couldn't have written a better piece--so I share his. I admired his bravery in speaking out so soon after the trial. Read Seth's piece please. I wasn't ready. There had already been attempts at finding out who I was. Threats to expose my identity. For a moment I was afraid. But I don't live in fear. It is not my nature to be silent. As Seth asserts, "We did not convict Stone based on his political beliefs or his expression of those beliefs. We did not convict him of being intemperate or acting boorishly. We convicted him of obstructing a congressional investigation, of lying in five specific ways during his sworn congressional testimony and of tampering with a witness in that investigation." The prosecutors who have now resigned did a masterful job of laying out every element of every charge, backed with ample evidence. As foreperson, I made sure we went through every element, of every charge, matching the evidence presented in the case that led us to return a conviction of guilty on all 7 counts. It pains me to see the DOJ now interfere with the hard work of the prosecutors. They acted with the utmost intelligence, integrity, and respect for our system of justice. For that, I wanted to speak up for them and ask you to join me in thanking them for their service.

The USA Today Network contributed to this report.

Laura Testino covers education and children's issues for the Commercial Appeal. Reach her at laura.testino@commercialappeal.com or 901-512-3763. Find her on Twitter: @LDTestino