A criminal trial of 10 poultry company executives charged with conspiring to fix prices has ended in a deadlocked jury and a mistrial.
The executives, from companies including Tyson Foods, Pilgrim’s Pride and Perdue Farms, faced federal charges of colluding to drive up the prices of the chicken their companies processed. A jury in Denver was unable to reach a verdict, and the judge, after first encouraging the jurors to keep deliberating, declared a mistrial Dec. 16.
The executives, including former Pilgrim’s Pride CEOs William Lovette and Jayson Penn, were indicted on June 3. Prosecutors pointed to numerous text messages among the defendants and their subordinates that contain information about prevailing prices and bids on specific contracts.
A new trial has been scheduled for Oct. 31, 2022.
