By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com
A federal jury in Mississippi on Saturday found FBI agent Hal Neilson not guilty on two counts relating to charges that he failed to disclose his ownership in a building housing the FBI in Oxford, Miss., and then lied about it, News360.com reported. The jury deadlocked on three other counts and a mistrial was declared.
The news organization reported that family and friends “shrieked with joy” as the verdict was read Saturday afternoon.
The verdict capped a 10-day trial. Neilson had claimed before trial that the then-U.S. Attorney indicted him because he had been critical of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The website reported that prosecutors had not immediately whether they would go for a second trial on the hung counts.
The website reported that FBI agent Neilson, an attorney, took the stand for six hours on Wednesday, insisting he was not part of the company when it first leased the building to the FBI and that he’d gotten permission from the FBI to enter into the business.
