Mistrial Called In Fort Collins Arson Trial Against Benjamin Gilmore

If you’ve been waiting to hear the verdict in the Penny Flats Fire in Old Town Fort Collins against Benjamin Gilmore, you’ll just have to keep waiting. According to the Coloradoan, the judge in the case called a mistrial with the Jury split on all counts against Gilmore.

What does that mean?

In the case of a mistrial, the proceedings of the trial are voided, and the prosecution would be forced to retry Gilmore, seek a plea agreement or drop the charges against him.

This fire happened back in October of 2011 and caused around 10-million dollars in damages.

Gilmore was on trial and faced seven felony counts and after a week of deliberating the jury could not agree on any of the charges. Apparently the judge thought deliberations had taken too long and that jurors might feel “pressured” to make a decision.

I could be wrong, but isn't that a jurors’ job? To make a decision?

Anyways, before anyone blows a gasket over this, maybe we should all sit down and watch ’12 Angry Men’ and let the legal proceeding work they way they were designed to.

I don’t know enough about the case to speculate on guilt or innocence, but I just hope that justice will be served correctly and to the right people.

According to this poll we posted, it looks like a lot of you think Gilmore is guilty.

[Coloradoan]

Picture by bloomsberries, Flickr.