On this day in 1997: Arizona Gov. Fife Symington was convicted of lying on financial statements to lenders during his career as a real estate developer. The verdict effectively forced the two-term governor to relinquish his office.
This conviction was overturned in 1999 by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Six days into jury deliberations, the trial judge had granted the government’s motion to dismiss a juror because she was leaning toward acquittal and the other jurors complained that she was keeping them from reaching a unanimous verdict. The appeals court ruled that the dismissal violated Symington’s right to a fair trial.
Symington, a Republican, was pardoned by President Clinton near the end of his presidency in January 2001.
