Uh oh.
The verdict in the Apple v. Samsung trial was crystal clear. Samsung was identified as a thief and could face huge penalties and heavy fallout for their crimes. Samsung’s stock dropped billions. Samsung phones are being ditched by customers on eBay in record numbers. Samsung may pay a hefty, perhaps tripled fine in the billions. And the whole world knows Samsung is a criminal company with no design chops of their own, and uses Apple as their research and development and design shop.
Just desserts, right?
Maybe.
Now there’s word from ANI News that Velvin Hogan, the jury foreman in the Apple v. Samsung case filed for a patent in 2002 for a method and apparatus to record and store video information.
What’s unknown to date is whether or not Apple or Samsung knew about the patent, or if any other technology company bought the patent.
As jury foreman, was Hogan a biased influence on the jury’s proceedings?
What if Apple knew about the patent? What if Samsung had been approached regarding the patent but turned Hogan down?
What if none of that happened? Was there still bias on Hogan’s part, and did he unduly influence the jury and the outcome?
Yes.
As a patent holder, Hogan would be especially sensitive and prejudiced against a company that blatantly trampled on patents as did Samsung in Apple’s case.