HUNG JURY-2ND RETRIAL
June 27, 2001
In the case of United States vs. Mohanad Maali, Ronald Richards was able to obtain
a hung jury for the second time, a rare event in the Central District. After the
second mistrial was declared, the government offered the defendant a time served
offer in lieu of ten years in prison. It was a well tried case by both the government
and the defense.
The charge in the case was possession of pseudoephedrine, a listed chemical, with
the intent or reasonable cause to believe the pseudoephedrine would be used to
manufacture methamphetamine. The government was unsuccessful in convincing the
jury that the defendant's signed confession and the packaging of the pills showed
beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant believed that there the pills would
be used to manufacture methamphetamine.
The defense contended the defendant merely adopted the statement the agent wrote
out for him in order to get out of jail.
The court released the defendant from custody on a signature bond pending resolution.