'Take Care of Maya' case: Lawyers for All Children's Hospital demand new trial, claiming jury misconduct
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - It's the medical battle that grabbed national headlines after the Netflix documentary "Take Care of Maya." Years worth of emotional anguish had taken its toll and came pouring out as Maya Kowalski and her family sat in a Sarasota County courtroom two weeks ago.
A jury awarded the Kowalski family more than $260 million in damages in her lawsuit against Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, but the case isn't over just yet. The defense is demanding a new trial, claiming jury misconduct.
In a new motion just filed, lawyers for Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital are asking for a new trial, claiming the jury verdict was tainted, and therefore, deserves a do-over. They pointed to the jury foreman, who they said shared information with his wife, who then went on social media and posted her opinions on the case.
The defense also accused the foreman's wife of feeding her husband information that the jury was not allowed to hear during the trial.
Because of this, lawyers for the children's hospital said the verdict is now tainted.
The jury was reminded daily by the judge not to post, read up or investigate the case on their own.
READ: ‘Take Care of Maya’ trial: Defense rests, Maya and her dad testify during rebuttal in $220M case
They awarded millions to the Kowalski family at the conclusion of the "Take Care of Maya" trial, finding that in 2016, Maya Kowalski was falsely imprisoned and battered by the medical team at All Children's Hospital, and that contributed to her mother, Beata Kowalski's, death by suicide.
But, if a juror intentionally broke the rules, the judge could throw out the verdict and start all over. The judge could hear arguments on the issue next month and rule on it.