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Arcata rancher Ray Christie, whose first jury came back deadlocked 11-1 for conviction on four felony charges, is scheduled for retrial in February.

“An 11-1 (vote) in favor of guilty essentially gives us a mandate from the jurors based on the level of evidence,” said Deputy District Attorney Adrian Kamada, one of the trial prosecutors.

Kamada said the second trial has been set for Feb. 10, with a trial confirmation hearing at the end of January.

Christie, 56, was convicted of 26 misdemeanor counts of dumping cattle carcasses within 150 feet of state waters. The jury acquitted him of three carcass-dumping charges and could not reach verdicts on the remaining misdemeanors.

The animal cruelty counts are based on cattle found starving or in otherwise poor condition at Christie’s ranch on the Arcata Bottoms, property he leases on Anderson Avenue in McKinleyville and property off Park Street in Eureka.

Jurors deliberated six full days before informing Judge Christopher Wilson that one juror refused to deliberate or follow the law. That juror was discharged and replaced with an alternate, and the jury began discussions again.

After about seven hours the jury came back with the 26 convictions and three acquittals, but the jury foreman said it was impossible to reach a consensus on the remaining counts.

The foreman told The Outpost one juror didn’t believe there was enough evidence to convict.

On most of the charges with no verdict, the jury was deadlocked 11-1 or 10-2, the foreman told Judge Wilson.

Numerous cattle carcasses were found on Christie’s various properties, with some of the remains lying in sloughs. A pile of carcasses found at his Arcata ranch contained anywhere from 40 to 200 carcasses, depending on who was doing the estimating

In Christie’s defense, attorney John Cogorno argued there is no way for ranchers to properly dispose of dead cows in Humboldt County. 

Christie’s sentencing on the 26 charges will be delayed until after the second trial.