It's unfortunate the misdemeanor case of San Juan Bautista Mayor George Dias could not be concluded Friday when a judge was forced to rule it a mistrial after jury members deadlocked at 10-2 in favor of conviction.
It's too bad it didn't end because it's a painfully prolonged drama - leaving a negative mark on the mayor and the sheriff's office - stemming from an April 2007 incident involving then-Councilman Dias and Deputy Jason Leist. Deputies arrested Dias after they allege he refused to leave the area around his burning trailer and then resisted the officers, leading to he and Leist falling into a thorny bush and the deputy getting hurt.
It was a black eye - almost literally - for both San Juan's official and the sheriff's office and continues to be an embarrassment today.
Judge Hedegard had no other choice
But Judge Alan Hedegard gave jury members plenty of time in deliberations, for a case of this magnitude, before ruling it a mistrial. They began deliberating Wednesday afternoon and spent the rest of that day and all of Thursday in talks without reaching a consensus.
While Hedegard was compelled to call it a mistrial - when he asked jurors, they all indicated they lacked confidence there would be a verdict reached, meaning at least one of the two dissenters were adamant - the judge made a wise decision by promptly rescheduling another trial for May 15, less than three weeks from now.
Dias at major disadvantage with 10-2 split
A new trial is a no-brainer considering the significant sway toward a conviction - which, in turn, leaves Dias at a vast disadvantage, both in the realm of public opinion and toward his prospects for beating the charge.
The court's understanding of the urgency, though, means Dias, the sheriff's office and the rest of us might soon get past this debacle yet.
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