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Testimony May Be Taking Toll On Jurors

1 Juror Drops Out Of Stiles Case

POSTED: 6:36 pm PST February 24, 2009
UPDATED: 10:25 pm PST February 24, 2009

For some jurors, being in the courtroom during the heart-breaking testimony given at the Chester Stiles trial is taking an emotional toll.

On Monday, one juror said he had to drop out after hearing a story from a relative. He would not elaborate, but there's no doubt this trial is hitting a lot of nerves.

When prosecutors show the tape that allegedly shows Stiles raping a 2-year-old girl, some will be haunted by the image for the rest of their lives.

"The statistics show that one out of three girls and one out of four boys will probably be sexually abused by the time they're 18. So the likelihood that a juror might have been sexually abused, even if they're not disclosing that, there's a probability, a high probability, that somebody on that jury has probably been sexually abused," said Donna Wilburn, licensed marriage and family therapist.

One of the biggest questions surrounding the Stiles trial is why did this case even go to trial?

With seemingly concrete evidence in the hands of prosecutors, why didn't Stiles take a plea deal?

Many are wondering what kind of defense Stiles' attorneys will present when videotape is shown.

Stiles has claimed that he was abused as a child, so could that be his defense?

"Perpetrators are very often victims themselves. Being a victim is not an excuse. It does influence your behavior, but it is not an excuse for behavior that as an adult, you're making a choice -- but it does influence your behavior," Wilburn said.

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