Two Lake County courthouse security guard trainees gave their cell phone numbers to women associated with the trial of Sandra Lopez—a 43-year-old Gurnee woman who was convicted of armed robbery and whose defense attorney is now requesting a new trial because of the misconduct, according to the Daily Herald.
The two former guards said during a hearing Tuesday the Lake County Sheriff's Office fired them after the inappropriate actions came to light, according to the article.
The Daily Herald reports one of the trainees gave his cell phone number and name to Lopez's daughter with the intentions of her passing it off to a friend who was watching the trial and the other trainee said he gave his cellphone number to an alternate jury member.
Defense attorney Christopher Lombardo filed a motion asking for a new trial and he said, following testimony by the former guards Tuesday, he now "needed time to consider whether he would amend his motion," according to the Lake County News-Sun.
A status hearing on the motion will be held on Jan. 27, according to the Lake County News-Sun.
Read more on the Daily Herald or the Lake County News-Sun.
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