Rape trial ends in 2nd hung jury

Leslie Castello walked out of the Georgetown High Court on Thursday after a 12-member jury could not arrive at a verdict for two counts of rape of a child under age 16 after deliberating for more than two hours.
Castello is currently out on bail and will have to face a retrial at the Demerara High Court after a jury could not come to a verdict for the second time. His first trial in 2018 also ended in a hung jury. On Thursday, it was déjà vu as the jurors deliberated, but were unable to arrive at a unanimous decision or even accept a proportionate verdict.
It is alleged that between November 1 and November 30, 2012 in the county of Demerara, he engaged in sexual penetration of a girl child under the age of 16.
Justice Jo Ann Barlow presided over the matter while the State was represented by Tiffini Lyken, Abigail Gibbs, and Narissa Leander and Castello was represented by Attorney Folio Richards.