That’s all that’s Patsy Brumfield has up on NEMS360 at the moment. More as soon as details are available. Wonder if the two “substantial” counts were among the three?
A little more on today’s verdict is available now but, it appears it will be tomorrow before we know what was decided on each of the five counts. If more becomes available between now and then, I’ll add another update.
Wouldn’t you know the minute I hit publish, this story on the Clarion Ledger caught my eye:
A federal jury acquits a veteran FBI agent on two of five counts against him, and the judge declares a mistrial on the other three.
Defense attorney Christi R. McCoy tells The Associated Press that Hal Neilson was acquitted on one count of lying to an FBI agent, and one of making official acts for personal gain.
U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock declared mistrials on the three other counts. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports that prosecutors haven’t said whether they’ll retry Neilson on them.
McCoy says jurors hung on one count of acts affecting a personal interest, and two of making false statements.
She says conviction now would have cost the 21-year agent his pension. But she says at the end of December, he’ll turn 50 and be fully vested — meaning he cannot lose the pension.
I’m guessing the not guilty was to counts two and five – but that’s just a guess based on a guess at the meaning of each count.
Not guilty — sounds right to me.
Great! Finally a jury with some common sense. Ashton O’Dwyer.