THE 12-member jury empanelled to try Carl McHargh for the murder of Tahj Burrell and Jason Eldridge yesterday failed to reach a unanimous verdict in the Home Circuit Court.

Consequently, a retrial has been ordered for the 31-year-old customs broker who was charged with the double slaying of Burrell, son of Jamaica Football Federation president Captain Horace Burrell, and Eldridge, who is the son of former commissioner of Police Noel Eldridge. Both men were shot dead on July 28, 1999 at the Northside Plaza in Liguanea, St Andrew.

McHargh has been remanded in custody.

The Crown, represented by attorney Jacqueline Cummings and Carrington Mahoney, deputy director of public prosecutions, led evidence that McHargh was the person who committed the crime.

McHargh gave an unsworn statement from the dock that he did not kill the men and was not in the area at the time. A defence witness testified that he and McHargh were in a bar in Cockburn Gardens, Kingston 11 at the time of the murders.

McHargh was represented by Delano Harrison Q C and attorney Arlene Harrison-Henry.