Juror on Rusty Torres sex abuse case says she convicted despite doubts

A juror from the panel that convicted former New York Yankees player Rosendo "Rusty" Torres of sexually abusing a child at a Plainview baseball clinic testified Monday that she still had reasonable doubt when she voted to convict him on some charges.

"I should have stuck with my not guilty verdict . . . I lost sight of my responsibility and it's bothered me ever since," said Juror No. 4, who also was identified as "Lisa S." but not required to give a last name while testifying in a Mineola courtroom.

Five jurors testified Monday at the continuation of a hearing that Nassau County Judge Tammy Robbins called after the defense's allegations of juror misconduct.

In July, jurors convicted Torres, 66, of Massapequa on first-degree sex abuse counts involving a girl who was younger than 11, and acquitted him of sexually abusing a second girl.

Since then, the defense has claimed some jurors agreed to change votes and convict Torres on some charges in exchange for acquittal votes on other counts to end deliberations after being deadlocked. The defense has asked Robbins to set aside the guilty verdict, and also says some jurors failed to disclose during jury selection either personal or family experiences of having been sexually victimized, but discussed it during deliberations.

Last week, two other jurors testified in support of the defense motion.

However, the Nassau district attorney's office says no jurors committed misconduct and the verdict was based on evidence.

Juror Lisa S. also testified when called by the defense that she "burst out crying" after she got to her car after the verdict, but then didn't talk about her dissatisfaction when going to get frozen yogurt with some fellow jurors.

Four other jurors who testified for the prosecution Monday under their juror numbers and identities of "Lisa A.," "Jonathan," "Phyllis" and "Mary Ellen" said no one threatened them or pressured them to vote a certain way, and no one traded votes.

Jury forewoman Mary Ellen Griffin, 54, of Carle Place, who fully identified herself after court, said on the witness stand that she also was part of the group that got yogurt after the trial.

"We felt bad but we all agreed that that was the correct verdict," she said.

The hearing resumes Friday.