Jury deadlocked in Abramoff figure's trial

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Jurors in the public corruption trial of a U.S. House aide-turned lobbyist said they were deadlocked, prompting the judge to say she would declare a mistrial.

After the jury declared itself unable to reach a verdict for the third time in three days, U.S. District Judge Ellen Huvelle said Thursday she would declare a mistrial in the trial of Kevin King, being tried for his role working with disgraced and imprisoned ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, Roll Call reported.

Ring was accused of providing tickets to sporting events and other gifts to congressional staff in exchange for their assisting Abramoff's clients.

"We remain ... irrevocably blocked on a final unanimous verdict," the jury said in a note Huvelle read aloud in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Among other things, the jury said it no longer had an agreement on one of the eight charges Ring faces -- a charge of "honest services wire fraud" based on a $5,000 payment to Julie Doolittle, wife of former Rep. John Doolittle, R-Calif.

Huvelle asked jurors to reconsider "that one question only," Roll Call said. Even if the jury reaches a verdict on that sole count, Ring still could be retried on the remaining charges.