A juror in the trial of Niyajah Hales for the 2021 murder of Michael J. Jackson was dismissed and replaced before closing arguments Friday after she reported being followed from the Ohio County Courthouse by an individual during a lunch break.

Four other jurors reported being followed by the same individual during the lunch break in the trial.

The report of the harassment was brought up to Ohio County Circuit Judge Michael Olejasz before the prosecution and defense were set to deliver their closing statements.

Olejasz first reported the harassment before jurors entered the room after a lunch break. He said that “inappropriate contact” had been made with jurors and that “harassment needs to be looked into.”

Olejasz explained the matter needed to be investigated as the harassment could “rise to the level of biasing jurors” or make “jurors unable to deliver a verdict.” He did not identify the individual who harassed the jurors.

Once jurors entered the courtroom, Olejasz had any juror who was harassed raise their hands, with one female juror raising their hand. Another female juror then spoke up and said five jurors had been followed and that “no comments were made.”

Olejasz had the jurors who were “allegedly followed” raise their hands, with two female jurors and one male juror raising their hands. Another alternate female juror also raised her hand.

Olejasz then began a separate conference with each identified juror to “get to the bottom of the issue.”

Ultimately, the juror who reported the harassment was replaced by an alternate.