US

Defense asks for mistrial in New Jersey bridge trial

Associated Press
Published | Updated

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's former deputy chief of staff Bridget Anne Kelly arrives at Martin Luther King, Jr., federal court, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016, in Newark, N.J. Jurors concluded their first full day of deliberations in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing case Tuesday without reaching a verdict. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) (The Associated Press)

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's former Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Anne Kelly arrives at Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Court, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016, in Newark, N.J. Jurors concluded their first full day of deliberations in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing case Tuesday without reaching a verdict. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) (The Associated Press)

Bill Baroni, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's former top appointee at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, arrives at Martin Luther King, Jr., federal court, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016, in Newark, N.J. Jurors concluded their first full day of deliberations in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing case Tuesday without reaching a verdict. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) (The Associated Press)

Defense attorneys in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing trial have filed for a mistrial in the middle of jury deliberations.

The motion filed Thursday comes a day after attorneys for two former allies of Republican Gov. Chris Christie asked the judge to give new instructions to jurors on the top conspiracy count in the indictment.

Jurors have deliberated for parts of three days without reaching a verdict.

Prosecutors say Bridget Kelly and Bill Baroni used traffic jams to punish a Democratic mayor who didn't support Christie in 2013.

Kelly was Christie's deputy chief of staff and Baroni was Christie's top appointee to the authority that runs the bridge.