The jury trial of former Albert Lea City Manager Jim Norman got off to a late start Thursday in Freeborn County District Court when one juror did not show up for duty.

A 19-year-old juror who lives near the line for Freeborn and Mower counties caused some worry for lawyers and for Mower County District Court Judge Fred Wellmann — who is presiding on the case — when the young man did not arrive on time.

The jurors were charged by Wellmann on Wednesday to arrive at 8:45 a.m. with the trial slated to start at 9 a.m.

Wellmann said when the juror had not arrived by 9:10 a.m., court staff attempted to contact him by phone at three numbers — his cell phone, home phone and employer phone — but to no avail. His employer, Hy-Vee, reported he was not working, and no one answered the cell or home numbers.

At 9:20 a.m., the judge sent out a Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office deputy to the man’s house. Wellmann noted the juror lives 20 to 25 miles away from the Freeborn County Government Center.

At about 10:05 a.m. the juror arrived at the courthouse, reported to the bailiff and stated his alarm hadn’t gone off and that he had overslept.

Wellmann admonished the juror verbally in the courtroom — while the other jurors remained in the jury room — telling him he had been an imposition on many people, including the parties involved and his fellow jurors, with everyone basically having “dead time” until he arrived.

The juror said he had been at home all evening Wednesday and said he made a mistake not waking up on time.

Wellmann did not order any other consequences on the juror.

Thursday was otherwise the first full day of testimony in the trial for Norman.

Norman, 57, faces allegations that he misused the city-issued credit card for personal purchases.