JURY CAN'T REACH VERDICT IN ARMENIAN MAFIA CASE.Byline: Lee Condon Staff Writer A federal jury Friday deadlocked dead·lock n. 1. A standstill resulting from the opposition of two unrelenting forces or factions. 2. Sports A tied score. 3. on charges against three Glendale businessmen who prosecutors said were Armenian mafiosi who tried to extort To compel or coerce, as in a confession or information, by any means serving to overcome the other's power of resistance, thus making the confession or admission involuntary. To gain by wrongful methods; to obtain in an unlawful manner, as in to compel payments by means of threats of money from the owners of a Glendale sewing company. U.S. District Judge Richard A. Paez declared a mistrial A courtroom trial that has been terminated prior to its normal conclusion. A mistrial has no legal effect and is considered an invalid or nugatory trial. It differs from a "new trial," which recognizes that a trial was completed but was set aside so that the issues could be in the case. Prosecutors said they will decide within 30 days whether to retry re·try tr.v. re·tried , re·try·ing, re·tries To try again. Verb 1. retry - hear or try a court case anew rehear the case. Henzel Harutian and his wife, Nelli; Albert Ambarsunian; and Edouard Terterian were accused of threatening Armen Eloan and his wife, Anabit, owners of Master-Sew Contractors, in an attempt to collect money from them. When the Eloans refused to pay, prosecutors said Nelli Harutian called Anabit Eloan and threatened to cut off her ears. The defense contended that threatening to cut off someone's ears is a ``term of endearment'' in Armenia. Prosecutors claimed the defendants are part of an Armenian mafia trying to shake down other Armenians living in Glendale. The judge barred prosecutors from accusing Henzel Harutian of being the leader of the ``Glendale Armenian Mafia.'' The judge acquitted Nelli Harutian on an extortion extortion, in law, unlawful demanding or receiving by an officer, in his official capacity, of any property or money not legally due to him. Examples include requesting and accepting fees in excess of those allowed to him by statute or arresting a person and, with charge on Tuesday before the jury started deliberating. On Friday, the jury hung 9-3 on two counts of extortion against Henzel Harutian, Ambarsunian and Teretian. The jury was also deadlocked 10-2 on conspiracy to commit extortion charges against Henzel Harutian and Ambarsunian. The jury acquitted Terterian on the conspiracy to commit extortion charge. Mark Geragos Mark John Geragos (born October 5 1957) is an American criminal defense attorney best known for defending pop-star Michael Jackson, actress Winona Ryder, Gary Condit, and Susan McDougal, who was involved in the Whitewater scandal. , the lawyer for the defendants, said his clients were not extorting money from the Eloans but had a profit-sharing arrangement with the couple. Geragos said the Eloans made ``scurrilous accusations'' about his clients in a business dispute that should have been handled in civil court. Geragos said the prosecution's case was so weak that he did not put up a defense and rested his case at the same time the prosecution rested its case. The lawyer said the defendants had helped the Eloans start their business and that the couple still owed the defendants money. ``This case was an affront af·front tr.v. af·front·ed, af·front·ing, af·fronts 1. To insult intentionally, especially openly. See Synonyms at offend. 2. a. To meet defiantly; confront. b. to the criminal justice system,'' Geragos said, who denied his clients have any association with an Armenian mafia and accused the U.S. Attorney's Office of unfairly targeting the Armenian community. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Saunders said if ``Geragos is saying there is no Armenian crime problem in Glendale, we respectfully re·spect·ful adj. Showing or marked by proper respect. re·spect  ful·ly adv. disagree.'' City News Service contributed to this story. |
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