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Mistrial in Jewish Federation shooting

05:51 PM PDT on Wednesday, June 4, 2008

KING Staff and Associated Press

Video: Mistrial declared in Haq trial
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SEATTLE – Prosecutors are vowing to retry Seattle Jewish Federation shooter Naveed Haq after Wednesday's mistrial because the jury failed to agree on all but one of the 15 charges.

Jurors told the judge the only count they could agree on is that Haq is not guilty of attempted first-degree murder of Carol Goldman.

"I really was never expecting this verdict so I'm disappointed, but I am prepared to follow it through to the next trial," said Goldman.

Wednesday was day eight of deliberations, but the past three days raised speculation that a mistrial was coming. On Monday and Tuesday, jurors asked Judge Paris Kallas questions indicating they were deadlocked on the charges. Both times, the judge ordered the jury to continue deliberating.

Haq left the courtroom under heavy guard with no emotion and no comment about the mistrial. He was followed by a stream of saddened faces, including two of Haq's victims.

"I am frustrated with the pace of the justice system, but I am proud to live in a community and a country where real justice can and will be done, eventually," said shooting victim Cheryl Stumbo.

Most of the jurors left court without talking to reporters.

"I am very upset," one juror told the Seattle Times. "I have great compassion for the victims and their families and everyone else in this case.

Jurors were apparently having a difficult time deciding whether Haq was insane. One of the questions to the judge included asking the definition of "knowing right from wrong."

Haq was charged with murder and attempted murder for the shooting that killed Pam Waechter and wounded five other women. Jurors heard five weeks of conflicting testimony from mental health experts

Leaders of the federation were understandably upset with the result.

"There is no argument Haq killed Pam. There is no argument he viciously shot five others. There is no argument that he made anti-Israel and anti-Semitic statements. Somehow, all this was not enough," said Federation President and CEO Richard Fruchter.

Both the prosecution and defense are upset the trial will have to start over again.

"We're profoundly sad that we're going to have to put the victims' families and the victims through this again," said prosecutor Don Raz.

"It sort of keeps the victims in this case, as well as Mr. Haq's family, in limbo," said defense attorney C. Wesley Richards.

If he had been found insane, the 32-year-old Tri-Cities man would have been sent to a mental hospital. If convicted as charged he would have been sent to prison for life.

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