Judge Ends Trial Over Sudoku-Playing Jurors

SYDNEY – An Australian judge abruptly ended a drug conspiracy trial after nearly half the jurors were found playing Sudoku while attorneys presented evidence, the Associated Press reports.     The trial had been running for 66 days when Sydney District Court Judge Peter Zahra ended it over the puzzle-playing fact finders. Zahra reportedly discovered the distracted jurors after noticing that some were writing vertically instead of horizontally when they were assumed to be taking notes.     “Yes, it helps me keep my mind busy paying more attention,” the jury foreman told the judge, according to the AP. “Some of the evidence is rather drawn out and I find it difficult to maintain my attention the whole time, and that doesn’t distract me too much from proceedings.”     Two men facing a possible life sentence will receive a new trial that’s expected to begin in a few weeks.