Imperial Valley press., 1929-07-20
TO
Be HELD
ON JOB
Judge Finney Denies Ru-
mors OF Dismissal Over
Weekend.
VERDICT UNLIKELY
Hypothetical Question Is
Submitted To Court Yes
terday Afternoon.

"The jury trying Sheriff Gillett
will not be discharged today or to-
morrow unless they bring in a ver-
dict and they will not be released
over the week END unless under the
same condition." Judge A. G. Fin
ney stated this morning.
"It is my intention at this time
to give the jury sufficient time
to come to a decision and despite
| the rumors to the effect that T
! would discharge them at noon to-
day if they had not come to ver-
! diet or that L would allow them to
| disperse over the week end, nothing
of that kind will occur.
| "Just who started such an nm
fair report that I would allow the
jury to disperse today over Sum
day, of course do not know, but it
, was not my intention of doing any
thing Of that kind.'
1t was reported yesterday and
! this morning that the jury, which
| apparently has been unable to come
to an agreement, would either ask
| w w uAcSAdi SCu VI OAdt OuukC = 1Ae
| ney would dismiss them today.
Almost a month has elapsed since
the trial started on June 25 and
according to court attaches the
trial is the longest ever held in I'm
perial county. Both the defense and
| prosecution introduced many wit
nesses and voluminous records,
Sheriff G. l.. Gillett win be tried
on the accusations made against him
by the grand jury and later again
on the three indictments should the
jury hearing the case on the latter
charges fail to agree, as it was ap-
parent this morning.
That was the Official word from
the district attorneys office this
morning, Elmer Head, district at
, torney making the statement.
"There seems but little. chance
this jury will agree,'' Heald said,
"and if they do not shall proceed
Immediately to seek the trial Of the
sheriff on the accusation. Later I
expect to ask for the trial Of Gill
lett on the indictments again.,
The district attorney was asked
as to the legality of trying the ac-
cusation, q misdemeanor in the pen
al code, before the indictments, .
felony, had been definitely disposed
of.
"The accusation is as much .
criminal charge as the indictment, =
Heald returned, "although, Of
course, conviction does not carry as
heavy penalty and the charges
constitute a misdemeanor rather
than felony. If the accusation
were civil charge then Of course
it would be necessary to proceed
with the trial on the indictments
again."
The jury, trying Gillett on three
indictments toaaling 237 counts, took
the case Thursday morning and II
has been generally reported they
have failed Of agreement after num-
erous ballots, although the major
ity, it is said, have favored ac-
quittal for the defendant.
1t is possible, according to court
attaches, that the reason for the
time the jury has taken SO far in
coming to decision, or lack OF one,
is primarily the voluminous records
they have been forced to check. The
jurors called for these records soon
after they left the jury box.
Juror Asks Question
Not an inkling of what they were
doing officially, emanated from the
jury room until yesterday afternoon
at 4:30 O'Clock when they called the
bailiff and asked him to call Judge
A. c. Finney to the bench.
The jury filed in and were asked
if they had come to an agreement.
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