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Mistrial declared in bird-taking case
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Posted on Nov 08 2006
The federal court yesterday declared a mistrial in the case against a businessman who was charged with taking an endangered species of birds.
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Alex R. Munson reached this decision after the 12 jurors in the case against Soleman were deadlocked in their decision.
Munson ordered the parties to appear on Nov. 13 to know whether a new trial will be set.
The jurors deliberated for two days.
Yesterday morning the jurors handed a note to the judge, informing him that they were deadlocked in their decision. Munson ordered the jurors to return to the deliberation room and continue deliberations. At 2:13pm, the jurors handed him another note, informing Munson that they were hopelessly deadlocked.
Soleman, owner of Soleman Gazi Charcoal Co., was originally charged with two counts of taking an endangered species in relation to incidents that occurred on June 15 and 18, 2005. Only one count—the June 15 incident—was decided in the trial.
Soleman, who goes by only one name after Bangladeshi custom, was accused of harming and harassing the endangered nightingale reed-warblers when he cut tangan-tangan trees, which are the bird’s territorial habitat.
The defendant maintained his innocence. Former Attorney General Robert Torres served as his counsel.
Assistant U.S. attorney Timothy Moran prosecuted the case.
