VERO BEACH – A six-member jury will reconvene deliberations into the 45 charges against disbarred Vero Beach attorney Ira Hatch this morning. The jury could not reach a verdict Friday and were sent home for the weekend.
Hatch’s defense attorney, Gregory Eisenmenger, had predicted Thursday the jury would come back with a quick, guilty verdict on Friday. Jurors asked for and received an adding machine to assist them with their deliberations, using it to tally up the amount of money the State Attorney’ Office says Hatch stole from his clients’ escrow accounts.
Hatch faces 45 felony charges of theft, racketeering and money laundering. He was arrested on Jan. 11, 2008 and has been in jail in lieu of $3 million bail since his arrest.
How long the jury might take to decide Hatch’s fate remains unknown. The jury must be unanimous in its decision on each of the counts.
If the jury cannot reach consensus, the judge could rule a mistrial, forcing the State and defense to start anew.
