NM mayor & newspaper feud goes to jury

GALLUP, N.M. (KRQE) - It may be the strangest twist in one of New Mexico's ugliest grudges.

The jury in the libel case filed by a former Gallup mayor against the Gallup Independent Newspaper, told the judge late Monday afternoon that it had reached a verdict.

When the jury came into the courtroom there was a dramatic development. One juror wept and said she couldn't go along with other jurors. A second juror sided with her.

The trial has been going on for a week. Former mayor Harry Mendoza is suing the publisher of the Gallup Independent, Bob Zollinger.

Mendoza claims Zollinger is obsessed with destroying him and that's one reason why he was defeated for re-election.

Zollinger published more than a dozen editorials alleging Mendoza was involved in the gang rape of a teenage girl when he was 16-years-old, in 1948.

Mendoza insists he was not involved in the attack and he was never tried or convicted.

Two years ago they got into a fist fight in a bank parking lot that was caught on security camera.

Late Monday evening, the six person jury hearing the libel trial that began last week, came back with what everyone thought was a verdict. However, two of the six jurors said they couldn't side with the defense.

The judge dismissed the jury for the night.

Tuesday, they will try again for a verdict.