Jury Deadlocks in Sex Case Against Track Coach
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SANTA ANA — A jury deadlocked Friday in the case of an El Toro High School track coach accused of fondling student athletes, with some jurors saying the deliberations were marked by gross misconduct.
Superior Court Judge Leonard H. McBride then declared a mistrial. Deputy Dist. Atty. Scott Simmons, who prosecuted the month-long trial, said he has not decided whether to retry Vernon Brent Smith, 51, on 11 counts of lewd contact with minors.
Outside the courtroom, three of the jurors said they were disgusted by what they described as inappropriate behavior by some of their peers.
Juror Eddie Pacheco, a truck driver from Aliso Viejo, said the panel had reached unanimous verdicts of not guilty on two of the counts. But three jurors changed their votes to guilty after they could not secure conviction on other charges.
Smith was accused of fondling five girl athletes, ages 15 to 17, in 1996 and 1997 while he was assistant track coach at El Toro High School. A hearing to determine a possible new trial date is scheduled for Dec. 18.
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