Andersen Jury to Enter 7th Day

The jury in accounting firm Arthur Andersen’s obstruction-of-justice trial returned to its hotel without reaching a verdict Tuesday after a sixth day of deliberations.

For the second day in a row, the panel of nine men and three women made no requests for information. The jurors have not indicated which way they are leaning in the case.

The length of deliberations over the single count of obstruction has fueled speculation of a divided jury. A unanimous verdict is needed to either acquit or convict Andersen.

“This is a unique experience for me,” Andersen defense attorney Rusty Hardin told reporters Tuesday, referring to the amount of time the jury has been meeting.

“I’ve never come close to this,” added Hardin, a courtroom veteran as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney.

In the event of a divided jury, U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon would issue at least one admonition to the jurors to try to resolve differences before moving to declare a hung jury and a mistrial.

The jury is considering whether the accounting firm obstructed justice by shredding Enron Corp.-related audit papers in the fall with the intent to undermine a Securities and Exchange Commission probe.

Conviction probably would result in a fine and an expected SEC sanction barring Andersen from auditing public companies. But Andersen has been losing its biggest clients and company officials acknowledge it will not regain its former stature, even with an acquittal.