LaRouche Jury Assails Delays, Mistrial Ruled

A federal judge declared a mistrial today in the fraud and conspiracy trial of political extremist Lyndon LaRouche, six aides and five LaRouche organizations following complaints from jurors that it was taking too much time.

U.S. District Judge Robert Keeton declared the mistrial after dismissing four jurors who said they could not serve past July. Lawyers said the case could not be concluded by that time.

Defense attorneys refused to go along with prosecutor John Markham’s suggestion that the trial continue with only 10 jurors. Markham said he would seek to have the trial immediately rescheduled.

“We’ll proceed to a new trial date and seek a verdict,” Markham said.

Will Oppose Trial

LaRouche attorneys, however, said they would fight a new trial on the ground that it would violate their clients’ rights to have only one trial on one set of charges.

“We knocked the train off the track, and it’s awfully hard to get it back on once that happens,” said defense attorney Michael Reilly.

LaRouche and the others are charged with conspiring to obstruct a federal grand jury investigation into allegations LaRouche’s 1984 presidential campaign reaped more than $2 million through credit card and loan fraud.

The pace of the trial has been slow from the outset, with the dozen defense lawyers constantly challenging government positions and often bickering among themselves.

Testimony on Hold

Keeton has put testimony on hold for the last two months to hold hearings on alleged government misconduct.

Those hearings have not been completed but Keeton decided last week to bring the jury back Monday and continue the hearings in the afternoon.

Today was the 92nd court day of the trial. Of those, the jury has been in court only 50 days, 51 counting its brief appearance today.

LaRouche, a candidate for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination, contends evidence was fabricated by FBI and CIA plants in his organizations as part of a Reagan Administration plot to ruin him because he opposes Contra aid.

LaRouche faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted of conspiring to obstruct justice. The aides face similar charges and penalties.