The Department of Justice has applied for a retrial over one of localist Edward Leung’s rioting charges, along with the rioting charges against two other co-defendants.
Leung and four others have faced rioting and other charges in relation to protests that broke out over Lunar New Year in 2016, triggered when authorities attempted to clear street hawkers in Mong Kok.
On May 18 Leung was found guilty of one charge of rioting, but the jury did not reach a majority verdict for another rioting charge. The jury also did not reach a majority verdict for the rioting charges of co-defendants Lee Nok-man and Lam Ngo-hin.
The Department of Justice subsequently applied for a retrial for the charges where jurors were unable to reach a majority verdict. The case will head to pre-trial review on July 18, with another hearing date scheduled for November.
A jury of nine must reach a 7-2 majority or more for there to be a valid verdict.
Leung has pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer and was convicted of another count of rioting. The charges against Leung, as well as co-defendant Lo Kin-man, will proceed to sentencing on June 11.
