Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 26/98) - The second sex trial stemming from the Five Aces gambling investigation has ended in a hung jury.

The seven-man, five-woman jury could not resolve the question of credibility at the centre of the trial of Ken Chu, who is facing four charges he paid for, and attempted to pay for, sex with a minor.

The jury could not reach the unanimity required for a verdict on three of the four charges. They acquitted him one charge of attempting to pay for sex with a minor.

During the trial Tuesday and Wednesday, two girls, now 14 and 16, testified Chu offered them money for sex between late 1996 and 1997. The younger girls said she had sex with Chu at his apartment on two occasions.

Chu, also known as Kenny Pasta, admitted he gave the girls money, but denied he ever asked for or had sex with them.

Both girls have criminal records. Chu has none.

It did not take long for the jury to realize it would be unable to reach agreement.

Closing arguments and the judge's instructions to the jury concluded at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday.

It was at 4:30 p.m. of the same day that the jury officially announced they could not pass judgment on Chu. But one court observer said the jury notified the judge within its first hour of deliberations that it was at an impasse.

Crown prosecutor Mark Scrivens said a new trial date will be set for Chu.

The trial of poker baron Wing Lee, the man at the centre of the investigation from which the charges against Chu flowed, begins on Monday. The charges were laid after a raid on Lee's Five Aces Social Club.

Lee is facing a series of sex-related charges.