MADISONVILLE-The trial took most of the day, but a jury only needed about 10 minutes to convict a man of stealing a grand jury member list in Dec. 2011.

Walt Fitzpatrick was convicted of tampering with government evidence, leading to a sentence of 11/29 suspended and 240 hours community service.

Fitzpatrick, 60, Mayes Street, Sweetwater, was charged with tampering with government records after he left the Courthouse with a copy of a listing of the grand jury members.

Jurors were being picked for the next six months in Dec. 2011, a process that includes picking the grand jury. The grand jury is a body that determines if there is enough evidence in a case for it to move forward in Criminal Court, but does not decide guilt or innocence. They are used mainly for felony-based cases.

See full story in the Wednesday, Dec. 5, edition of The Advocate & Democrat.