Quattrone Jury Resumes Discussion Despite Split

The jurors deciding the fate of former Silicon Valley investment banker Frank Quattrone will be back in court today after being ordered by U.S. District Judge Richard Owen to continue deliberations despite a sharp disagreement among them.

The jury on Friday told the judge that “two jurors, one on each side, feel they cannot be persuaded to change their views.”

Owen was expected to issue a so-called Allen charge today in which he would urge the jury to work harder to reach a verdict. If a unanimous verdict was not possible, Owen would probably declare a mistrial. Prosecutors then would have to decide whether to retry Quattrone or drop the charges against him.

Quattrone was charged with two counts of obstruction of justice and one of witness tampering. The case is being closely watched because it probably would have repercussions for the government’s broad crackdown on white-collar crime.