12 GOOD MEN AND THICK ABORT TRIAL

Jury race row halts £1.5m trial

By Sue Clough, Courts Correspondent

Daily Telegraph 13/12/2002

A race row between jurors led to the collapse of a murder trial at the Old Bailey yesterday, leaving the taxpayer with a £1.5 million bill for the costs of the six-week case.
Judge Ann Goddard discharged the jury because of what she described as "insurmountable problems" and set a date for a new trial.
In a closed hearing that excluded press and public she was told of growing antagonism among the jurors.
Relationships between some of the jurors, who were trying four black men accused of murdering a black man and setting his body on fire in a churchyard, are understood to have deteriorated beyond repair.
This left Judge Goddard with no choice but to abort the trial just before the prosecution counsel was due to begin his closing speech.
The trial began in early November after several sets of preliminary hearings and was due to finish just before Christmas.
Because of the complexity of the case and the number of defendants, the proceedings involved 10 barristers, several legal solicitors and advisers. The costs are estimated at £1.5 million.
A new trial date has been set for March.