UPDATE: According to Curt Anderson of the Associated Press, Jim Leyritz was acquitted on DUI manslaughter charges for a December 2007 crash that resulted in the death of Fredia Ann Veitch. However, he was convicted on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence, which could put him in jail for a maximum sentence of six months.
In other words, he’s incredibly fortunate today. Leyrtiz could have faced up to 15 years in prison if he was convicted for the DUI manslaughter charge. Let’s hope he does something useful with a second chance.
9:30 AM: A quick update on Jim Leyrtiz’s trial.
According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, after six hours of deliberation on Friday, the jurors in Leyritz’s DUI manslaughter trial said that they were deadlocked.
“We have reached a stalemate. We have completely decided that we cannot reach a decision,” the panel of five men and one woman wrote the judge about 6 p.m. Friday in the second day of deliberations. “How do we proceed?”
Circuit Judge Marc Gold asked the jury to discuss the case further and attempt to reach a unanimous decision. They’ll do so today. If they are unable to reach a verdict, a mistrial will be declared. According to the Associated Press, prosecutors say there would be a second trial, which hopefully won’t take another three years.
In December of 2007, Leyritz allegedly drove drunk and ran a red light when he hit a vehicle driven by Fredia Ann Veitch, who was killed. The former Yankee faces between four and 15 years in prison if convicted.
