The Nation - News from Dec. 19, 1986

Despite a misunderstanding that led jurors to acquit former sports-car maker John Z. DeLorean when some thought him guilty, DeLorean cannot be retried on charges of embezzling $8.5 million from investors, authorities said. The panel’s vote stood at 9 to 3 for acquittal through most of the deliberations, said juror Ron Nachtman. A final vote, taken under jurors’ understanding that failure to agree on guilt required a verdict of not guilty, was 12 to 0 for acquittal, he said. DeLorean’s attorney, Howard Weitzman, called the controversy “a desperate attempt to try to taint John’s victory.”