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'Neither', said the foreman.
There was a murmur throughout the public gallery.
'I'm sorry,' said the Clerk. Please repeat that.
'The defendant is neither guilty nor not guilty,' said the foreman.
The clerk looked up at the judge who was frowning. The judge cleared his throat.
'You are telling me that you, the jury, collectively, can find this man neither guilty, nor not guilty? That is your position.'
'Yes,' said the foreman.
'I shall require you to explain yourselves,' said the judge. The foreman turned and mumbled something quickly to the rest of the jury. There were some rapid whispers. The foreman, listened, then turned back to the judge.
'We cannot explain ourselves,' said the foreman.
And to my utter utter astonishment the jury rose and filed silently out of the courtroom...