A female Muslim juror has been arrested in Britain after allegedly listening to an MP3 player under her hijab headscarf during a murder trial, police said Monday.The woman in her early 20's was spotted by a fellow juror listening to music during the testimony of a pensioner accused of bludgeoning his wife to death after 50 years of marriage. She could now be charged with contempt of court and, if convicted, may be punished with an indefinite jail sentence and an unlimited fine.
According to the AP report, the woman had also repeatedly arrived late for hearings at the Blackfriars Crown Court in central London. At one point the prosecuting lawyer Peter Clarke asked for her to be dismissed, but the judge had initially refused.
Lawyer Benn Maguire, a member of the team prosecuting the murder case, said: "It is unique for all those who are connected with this court to experience a situation where the juror is suspected of listening to a MP3 player under her Islamic headgear." He added that he expected the woman would go to prison if she was charged and found guilty of contempt.
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