Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Juror turns trial ordeal into a literary tribute

By SHANNON COLAVECCHIO-VAN SICKLER
Published November 19, 2005

TAMPA - The evidence against Steven Lorenzo was so disturbing - graphic pictures of tortured men, online chats discussing rape and death - juror David Mount had trouble sleeping during the two-week federal trial that ended Nov. 10.

"It was beyond anything I could ever imagine," Mount said after the jury found Lorenzo guilty of drugging nine men to assault and torture them. "It was emotionally exhausting."

But rather than forget what h e heard in court, the Dunedin resident sat down in front of his computer the morning after the verdict and started writing. He even made the words rhyme.

Within an hour, Mount had a poem. He called it "We the Jury."

We the jury find Lorenzo guilty of these crimes

"It was a release for me," Mount said this week. "It really helped me get it out."

He read it aloud to his wife.

"I had a little emotional breakdown reading it," he said.

Then Mount sent copies to the other jurors, who had exchanged addresses after the trial.

"I thought it was very appropriate and quite a clever use of words," said juror Glenn Carlton, who received it Wednesday.

"One guy said he was crying when he read it," Mount said. "I just hope it would help people understand what we saw."

A born-again Christian, Mount, 61, ended the poem: We learned from this experience a lesson all should feel

True happiness and peace of mind comes only from above

Times staff writers Candace Rondeaux and Jennifer Liberto contributed to this report.

An excerpt from a poem written by juror David Mount about the Steven Lorenzo trial:

We looked at items found inside Lorenzo's Tampa place

Cans of spray and duct tape, masks to put on someone's face

Straps and belts and plastic ties, a tote bag, toys and rope

All used on men, some willingly, and some he planned to dope...

We heard seven victims, one by one told us all they knew

Going to Lorenzo's house and torture they went through

A constant theme of drinking something, then soon passing out

Their testimonies helped convince and satisfy our doubt . . .

We learned about two victims who could not be seen in court

One still missing, one is dead, we heard the sad report

Michael Wachholtz, body found, abandoned in his car

A victim of sadistic acts when torture went too far . . .

[Last modified November 19, 2005, 01:07:13]