Brian X. McCrone

‘Disappointed' Jurors on What They Think about Seth Williams

Here's what some of the jurors told NBC10 about their reaction to the former district attorney's abrupt guilty plea in the middle of his trial.

Jurors who served at the trial of the now-former Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams felt "disappointed" that they didn't get to hear both sides of the case, according to three who talked with NBC10 outside the federal courthouse Thursday.

Williams, 49, pleaded guilty to a charge of bribery on the eighth day of his federal corruption trial. He was quickly handcuffed and taken away to a federal detention center until his official sentencing in October. He faces up to five years in prison.

Here's some of the jurors' takes after they were dismissed from service.

Dawn Tomaino, of Easton: 

"I really think it was leaning toward us finding him guilty. Just especially the evidence we were given yesterday, and of course, it would have depended on what the defense should have shown us. We didn’t really get to hear any of their (presentation). ...

In the beginning, I wasn’t familiar with the case at all. I didn’t know anything about it. I didn’t know anything about Mohammad Ali. I really was just kind of taking him as somebody that came to this country, and really just wanted a friend. ... And so it would have all depended on what the defense was going to show me."

Julie Dedic1
Tim Furlong/NBC10
Julie Dedic, of Easton, was one of the jurors for the Williams trial.

Julie Dedic, of Bethlehem:

"It’s disappointing. We wanted to hear more. But through the things that we did hear, most of us, we just got done talking, we do believe he was guilty. ... Not maybe of everything they proved, but we do believe at some point that he started to live over his means. ...

The last time I heard up our way about Seth Williams he was just coming in (to office) and everyone was saying how wonderful and how much promise he had. And so I think as he got larger and larger, he was trying to live a life that he couldn’t afford."

Brian Denney
Tim Furlong/NBC10
Brian Denney, of West Chester, a juror.

Brian Denney, of West Chester:

"I think I was more on the guilty side. A lot of the evidence we had been presented so far was not so great for Mr. Williams. ... Had the defense presented compelling testimony, that could have influenced our decisions. I think ultimately with the way things turned out he was not in great shape."

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