Judge Orders Deadlocked Jury to Come Up With Verdict in Murder-for-Hire Trial

HARTFORD, Connecticut — (Associiated Press) - A Connecticut judge has told a deadlocked jury to try again to reach a verdict in the trial of a woman accused of attempting to hire a hit man to kill her ex-husband during a bitter child custody court case.

Jurors in Hartford Superior Court told Judge Edward J. Mullarkey on Friday that they weren't likely to reach a verdict in the attempted murder case of former Bloomfield resident Tiffany Stevens.

Mullarkey denied a defense motion for a mistrial and told jurors to make another attempt at a unanimous verdict. Deliberations began Wednesday.

Stevens denies allegations she paid $5,000 to a maintenance man to kill her ex-husband, Eric Stevens, in 2012. The plot wasn't carried out.

Tiffany Stevens' lawyer suggested Eric Stevens and the maintenance made up the story.