A High Court jury has found Gerhard Otto Haleck not guilty of one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance - marijuana - which the government alleges was received by the defendant through the US Postal Service.

The four women-two men jury handed down its unanimous verdict last Friday afternoon after a four-day trial, where the defendant, even took the witness stand last Thursday saying he didn’t know what was in the package that he received through the Post Office on Jan. 3, 2017.

Haleck, who was out on bail, had maintained his innocence since his arrest and his defense attorney, Marcellus T. Uiagalelei had argued that his client didn’t know what was in the package.

When the verdict was read several of Haleck’s family members were in the courtroom gallery and some were overheard by Samoa News sobbing quietly. Samoa News observed them wiping away tears from their faces while the defendant bowed his head with the tips of his fingers to his eyes.

More details in Tuesday’s edition.