I have great admiration and respect for Yuri, and I think he handled himself very well in the courtroom yesterday. Anyone can tell that he is a true professional, and knows his job and does it well.
However, think about what it could have meant if the jury had not been removed from the courtroom. All it would take is ONE juror to have doubts about this officer who was in charge of the investigation, participating in crime forum discussions. EVEN IF he never commented on details of this case, his reputation was questioned and he could have compromised the case, for all that one juror knew.
I have to respectfully disagree that he was not reprimanded. Think about your child breaking a rule and the possibility that his or her actions could escalate into a bigger problem. You scold them in a nice way but still firmly so that they get the message, and you warn them not to do it again, right? It is still a scolding... a reprimand of sorts, even if it's done in a nice way with no angry words.
Maybe his superiors didn't take the time to read the thread and see that he never discussed details of the case. However, I'm sure they didn't just pat him on the back and say, "Hey, cut it out, ok?" I feel certain there was a conversation with him and he was somewhat scolded before he was told to stop posting. If they knew he was just thanking posters for their admiration and praise, then they wouldn't have told him to stop posting altogether. So, IMHO, yes... he was reprimanded, even if it was mild and issued merely as a warning. It doesn't change my opinion of him in the least, I still think he's a great officer, and he has my utmost respect. He's just a human like the rest of us and he did not intend to break any rules.
I'm so glad the judge saw through Baez's attempt to discredit Yuri.. he's probably one of the best in the business.
