Ferguson jury reaches verdict on some counts, deadlocked on others

DETROIT (WXYZ) - The jury in the Bobby Ferguson bid-rigging case has gone home for the day on Friday, reaching a verdict on some of the case's eight counts, but not all.

When they return to deliberate on Tuesday they will be down to eleven members. The twelfth member is leaving on vacation and will not be replaced.

While deliberating today, the jury instructed Judge David Lawsons that they are unable to reach a unanimous verdict on some of the eight criminal counts they are weighing.

Jurors did not identify which counts they're struggling with.  Judge David Lawson instructed the jury to continue deliberating.

The revelation comes on the sixth day of deliberations--but only the second with the present jury--and is the first sign the government's case against Ferguson and two of his former colleagues could be in trouble.

Lawson told jurors just after 1:15 Friday afternoon that they could return a partial verdict if they chose unanimously to do so. 

The decision would allow the jurors to issue guilty or not guilty verdicts on any of the eight counts, and continue to deliberate on those where they still struggle to reach consensus.

Stay with WXYZ.com for the very latest in the Ferguson trial.