Second juror dismissed from Sarah Stern murder trial

FREEHOLD — A judge has denied a defense request for a mistrial in proceedings against a man accused of strangling a former high school classmate during a robbery and throwing her body off a bridge as a second juror is removed from the panel.

Lawyers for Liam McAtasney made the request after a juror was dismissed last week for a Facebook post in her name that made a flip comment about the trial.

The judge denied the mistrial request Thursday but said the juror will face contempt of court charges over the post. The juror has said her 15-year-old sister made the post.

The judge spoke individually with each juror about the post and the juror's dismissal. That led to the dismissal of another juror who had contacted the dismissed juror when she didn't show up to court earlier this week.

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