Jury Deadlocks in Federal Obscenity Case

A mistrial was declared Tuesday when jurors announced they were hopelessly deadlocked in the second trial of a Hollywood Hills fetish filmmaker on federal obscenity charges.

Ira Isaacs' first case in 2008 also ended in a mistrial when the judge recused himself after it was revealed that he had posted sexually explicit photos on his personal website.

The downtown Los Angeles jury deliberated for about a day and a half before U.S. District Judge George H. King declared a mistrial.

The case was set for retrial on April 24.

Justice Department prosecutors declined comment.

Isaacs, 61, was charged with producing obscene material and mailing it across state lines. Jurors were shown four films featuring bestiality and defecation.

"This prosecution is the biggest waste of time and taxpayer money I've ever seen in my life," said defense attorney Roger Jon Diamond. "Yes, the films are pretty gross — but why is the government wasting all this money trying to tell us what we can and can't watch? Who are they pandering to?"

Diamond said jurors voted 10-2 in favor of conviction.

— City News Service