Still No Verdict, Africa Sting Jury Off Till Monday

The jury in the second Africa sting trial didn't reach a final verdict Thursday and has gone home until Monday.

The jury today asked for records and tapes of phone calls for one of the defendants but then went silent. It started deliberating two weeks ago.

The defendants are R. Patrick Caldwell, John Mushriqui, Jeana Mushriqui, John Godsey, and Marc Morales. A sixth defendant, Stephen G. Giordanella, was acquitted in the case last month before it went to the jury.

On Tuesday, the jury told federal district judge Richard Leon that they had reached a unanimous verdict on certain counts (which means specific defendants) but were deadlocked on other counts. The judge sent the jury back for more deliberations instead of accepting a partial verdict.

The first Africa sting trial ended in September with a hung jury, forcing Judge Leon to declare a mistrial. The DOJ has said it will retry Pankesh Patel, Andrew Bigelow, John Benson Weir, and Lee Allen Tolleson.