The Associated Press News Service Louisville, Kentucky Jurors who couldn't decide whether to convict a man of murder or manslaughter in the shooting death of his girlfriend flipped a coin and found him guilty of murder. However, the judge declared a mistrial after finding out about the coin toss. The jury of five men and seven women deliberated about nine hours over two days last week before issuing the verdict Friday. Jury foreman David Melton told The Courier-Journal for today's editions the jurors decided to flip a silver dollar to avoid a hung jury. Because all agreed on the coin toss, they thought it was legal, he said.
Officials say it improves security.
Gone are the days of pawing through files, shuffling through paperwork and filling out forms, a process that could take up to two minutes per visitor, said Clarke Fulton, captain of administrative affairs at the prison. The system also could help deter visitors from smuggling drugs and other contraband into the prison, Fulton said, because guests are less likely to take such risks when they know they can be accurately identified. Each inmate may choose up to six people to receive as visitors. Before the system was installed, Fulton said, generally anyone could visit an inmate. Visitors whose names appear on an inmate's list must take photo identification to pre-register.