The judge likely is wondering if there is a connection between the missing juror and the missing drug dealers,said Peter Henning, a law professor at Wayne State University and a former federal prosecutor.
“That’s a question on the judge’s mind,” Henning said. “This is certainly a striking coincidence.”
McIntosh was the sole black male juror in a case involving four black defendants and one of the most prolific and profitable drug rings in Metro Detroit history. Carlos Powell’s operation generated tens of millions of dollars and was responsible for importing hundreds of kilograms of heroin and cocaine, and thousands of pounds of marijuana from Mexico, prosecutors said.
McIntosh sat through about two weeks of testimony before failing to show up at court for closing arguments May 8.