The jury of an ongoing murder trial in Chatham got a stern warning on Thursday from the judge overseeing the case to shut out any information that is not presented in court.
The court proceedings for the Kyle Samko murder trial were temporarily put on hold Thursday morning by Superior Court Judge Brian Dube so that he could speak with two jurors individually.
Those conversations took place in the courtroom, but not with the entire jury present, so the details are protected by a publication ban.
After speaking with a pair of individual jurors one at a time, Justice Dube called the entire 14 person jury back into the courtroom and told them that none of the jurors would be discharged and he would not declare a mistrial.
"That could be very different if this issue was to happen again," said Dube, without detailing in open court what the specific "issue" was.
Judge Dube reminded the four men and 10 women that any outside information about the case, including news reports, is not complete and that the case is to be decided only on evidence heard in open court.
Jurors are instructed at the beginning of trials not to seek information about cases outside of evidence introduced at trial and they are routinely warned not to communicate about a case with anyone before a verdict is reached.
The Samko trial resumes on Monday with testimony from a toxicology expert.
Samko, 28, of Sarnia is charged with second degree murder in the death of Manny da Silva, 35, in June of 2021 outside a house on St. George Street near Park Avenue in Chatham.
Chatham-Kent police also expects to show two surveillance videos showing the attack on St. George Street near Park Avenue in June of 2021.
The trial is expected to conclude at the end of next week.