Newman Case Ends in Mistrial

A judge today granted a mistrial in a lawsuit pitting actor Paul Newman against a delicatessen owner after jurors said they could not deliberate impartially after getting a look at unauthorized documents.

Superior Court Judge Howard Zoarski declared the mistrial after jurors sent a note out of the jury room that they could not ignore depositions that were never entered into evidence but were inadvertently turned over to them before deliberations began two days ago. Deli owner Julius Gold had alleged during the three-week, breach-of-contract trial that an attorney for Newman promised him 8% of the stock from Newman’s food company in return for helping Newman’s Own Inc.