Judge Declares Mistrial In Clemens Perjury Case

One day after the perjury trial of Roger Clemens began, it jerked to a halt Thursday, as the judge in the case declared a mistrial. Clemens' attorney, Rusty Hardin, had asked U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton to declare a mistrial on the grounds that prosecutors had put evidence before the jury that he had expressly forbade them from introducing.

The AP describes the issue:

Prosecutors suggested the problem could be fixed with an instruction to the jury to disregard the evidence, but Walton seemed skeptical. "I don't see how I un-ring the bell," he said.

Walton interrupted the prosecution's playing of a video from Clemens' 2008 testimony before Congress and had the jury removed from the courtroom. Clemens is accused of lying during that testimony when he said he never used performance-enhancing drugs during his 24-season career in the Major Leagues.

A new hearing will take place on Sept. 2, to determine whether to hold a new trial for Clemens.

Copyright 2011 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.