Jurors at the fraud trial of Rick and Susan Hayhow were dismissed Wednesday afternoon, bringing an abrupt end to the proceedings.
The trial of the two former Imagine Adoption executives was in its eighth day when Justice Peter Hambly declared a mistrial.
Michael Lacy, the lawyer representing Susan Hayhow, tells CTV News the mistrial was called after all parties agreed that a newly discovered piece of information would hamper the fairness of the trial.
“We recognize … that whatever the verdict is going to be in this case, it needs to be one that is fair to everyone,” Lacy tells CTV News.
Rick and Susan Hayhow were the adoption agency’s general manager and executive director respectively.
They face fraud charges after allegedly using agency funds to pay for home renovations and other personal expenses.
However, information surfaced during the trial that Rick Hayhow had told someone at Imagine’s accounting firm that he had used an agency check to purchase new fencing for his home, and asked if there was a way to repay the agency.
The non-profit went bankrupt in 2009, following Rick Hayhow’s departure from the organization and leaving hundreds of families in limbo as they were in the middle of the adoption process.
Some of those families say the mistrial means they’ll have an even longer wait to get closure on the entire saga.
“This just kind of feels like a slap in the face,” says Karyn Brown, who estimates that Imagine’s bankruptcy added 1.5 years to the amount of time it took to finalize the adoption of her two daughters.
A new trial may place, but a new jury will need to be selected for that to happen.
The case returns to court July 25.
