Nation: A Judge Has Vacation Blues

And the accused go free

After deliberating for twelve hours in 1971, a jury in New York City was split 11 to 1 in favor of convicting a defendant of first-degree robbery. But Justice Arnold G. Fraiman could wait no longer for a unanimous verdict. Having announced earlier: "I have another engagement," he declared a mistrial and dismissed the jurors. The engagement was a European vacation with his wife, who reportedly was waiting in the courthouse with their suitcases. Another judge dismissed the charges because retrying the defendant would violate his constitutional right against double jeopardy.

Last week another man won his freedom...

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