Murder trial ends in hung jury

The fate of a man accused of murder is uncertain tonight after the case against him ended with a hung jury. According to court reports, the four women and eight men who heard the trial of twenty-seven year old Jamie Dawson retired to deliberate around three on Friday afternoon. But five hours later, they remained in a deadlock of six to six. The jury foreman then informed Justice Troadio Gonzalez of the situation, stating that there was “no possibility of rendering a verdict.” As a result, Gonzalez told the court: “This is a hung jury and the accused will be kept in prison until the D.P.P. decides what to do with the case. If the D.P.P. decides, there will be another trial.” Dawson was charged with murder in connection with the December 2002 killing of Maurice Neal at the Bismarck Club in Belize City. The prosecution has alleged that Neal was playing dice when Dawson pulled out a gun and fired five shots. Neal was hit in the chest and died a short time later. A second man injured during the incident, Nicholee Lewis, was slated to testify but he later died in a separate shooting incident before he could take the stand. The man accused of that crime is Dawson’s brother, Jason Paulino.