Issue with jury members leads to mistrial in Tony Accurso fraud case

An issue with three jury members has resulted in aQuebec Superior Court judge declaringa mistrial in the case of former construction magnate Tony Accurso.

Accurso, 66, was facing charges offraud, conspiracy, breach of trust and corruption in the trial, which began at the Laval courthouse on Oct. 19.

The mistrial does not mean Accursohas been found not guilty nor that the charges have been dropped. His case will be back in court Jan. 7to determine the next steps.

"For the Crown, this situation is unusual. But we will be ready to set a new court date,"said Jean-PascalBoucher, spokesperson for Quebec's Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions.

"It is important to reassure the population so they know the case isn't closed; it's a case that will continue."

Suitcases full of money

According to Radio-Canada, amember of the jury presented a note to Superior Court Justice James BruntonFriday morning, saying she had received information about prosecution witness Marc Gendron, who was a fundraiser connected to former Laval mayor Gilles Vaillancourt.

• TonyAccursopart of 'immense system' of corruption in Laval, Crown says

The jury member said her uncle had worked for Gendron and he saw suitcases full of money in Gendron's office years ago.

Upon receiving that information, the jury membertold two other members of the 11-person jury.

Brunton spoke to all three jury members and realized theversions of their stories didn't match up.

He decided his only option was to end the trial a jury must comprise a minimum of 10 jurors. Brunton saiditwas the first time in 15 years he had declared a mistrial.

The Crown was alleging thatAccursowaspart of an "immense system" of corruption inLaval thatessentially eliminated all competition for municipal contracts in Laval, and citizens paid the price.

Along with Accurso, 36other people were arrested in a sweep in 2013, but some have since died or have seen charges against them dropped.

Many others, includingVaillancourt,have since pleaded guilty. Accurso is the only one to go to trial.