He had the potential to serve on Rod Blagojevich's jury but was dismissed.
Before he was told to go home last week, former Republican-appointed state employee David Hallstrom tells me that he sat with other potential jurors who were discussing Blagojevich news coverage they read or had seen. Another person in the same room who heard this -- but who did not take part in the discussion -- is now a member of the Blagojevich jury.

The talk came even after Judge James Zagel told the entire panel to ignore media coverage, according to Hallstrom, whom Zagel had referred to in court as "a highly intelligent juror."

Zagel refused to dismiss Hallstrom for cause, saying he believed Hallstrom could be fair. Hallstrom eventually was not picked for the jury though.

The judge appeared to seat jurors in numerical order and stopped after choosing 18 people. The last numbered juror was 166. Hallstrom was 169.

Read today's story at: www.suntimes.com