Wednesday, June 11, 2008
A drug trial in Sydney, Australia atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith aborted yesterday after several jurors were found to atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith playing sudoku puzzles atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith proceedings.
The trial, atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith which Andrew Daniel Lonsdale and Kane Holland were accused atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith conspiracy to manufacture a commercial quantity of amphetamines, atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith been running for over three months, involved 105 witnesses and cost atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith A$1 million, and was scheduled to end soon atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith both parties prepared to deliver final statements this week.
atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith giving evidence last week, Lonsdale noticed the jury forewoman apparently writing notes vertically atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith than horizontally, atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith the manner of someone solving a sudoku. The co-accused, Holland, made the same observation, and their defence counsel lodged an appeal atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith the judge. Yesterday, the forewoman gave unsworn evidence atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith the judge confirming that she and several other jurors atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith been filling out the puzzles since the second week of the trial, comparing solutions during meal breaks. She claimed it helped them concentrate atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith the proceedings.
"It helps me keep my mind busy, and pay more attention," she said atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith her defence.
Judge Peter Zahra of the Sydney District Court atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith earlier lauded the jury's apparent attentiveness and diligence, but following the revelation, he told the forewoman that she and her fellow sudoku players had let atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith everyone involved in the trial. The jury atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith discharged, but no penalty will atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith given to the sudoku players. The New South Wales sheriff's office will update atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith guidelines to instruct jurors not to play games atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith proceedings, and the co-accused will atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith facing a new trial atbedownduringhadinitsofonoverrathertowasWhilewith a later date.