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From: jfh@netcom.COM (Jack Hamilton)
Newsgroups: sci.med.aids,sci.med
Subject: Verdict in needle trial
Summary: hung jury
Message-ID: <1991Apr18.104556.22660@cs.ucla.edu>
Date: 18 Apr 91 05:33:07 GMT
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The San Mateo trial of two AIDS activists charged with illegal distribution
of clean needles ended in a hung jury.  The vote was 11-1 for acquittal.

The juror who voted to convict has a son who is a drug addict.

The prosecutors have until April 23 to decide whether to retry the case.

The defendents use a "necessity defense", claiming that they broke the law
for a greater good - saving the lives of drug addicts who might otherwise
have become infected with HIV.  A similar trial is going on in New York,
but has not been decided yet.

The defense arguments were apparently quite effective.  According to the
AP, three of the jurors offered after the trial to help in the illegal
needle distribution.
-- 
Jack Hamilton         jfh@netcom.com         apple!netcom!jfh