Coin toss decides verdict in murder case -- mistrial declared

(Louisville, Kentucky-AP) -- A man in Louisville, Kentucky, has been found guilty of murder -- based on a coin toss. <br><br>Jurors apparently couldn't decide whether to convict Phillip Givens of

Tuesday, April 25th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Louisville, Kentucky-AP) -- A man in Louisville, Kentucky, has been found guilty of murder -- based on a coin toss.

Jurors apparently couldn't decide whether to convict Phillip Givens of murder or manslaughter in the shooting death of his girlfriend.

So, they flipped a coin.

Jury foreman David Melton tells The Courier-Journal newspaper that jurors decided to flip a silver dollar to avoid a hung jury. He says because everyone agreed to the coin toss -- they thought it was legal.

The judge in the case has declared a mistrial after learning of the toss.