Bermuda is such a small world that Governor Sir Richard Gozney addressed a diplomatic crisis in an unusual meeting – when he bumped into the man who sparked it at the theatre.

Arkansas lawyer Gary Barket faced a ten-year jail sentence if he had been convicted of importing two guns in his luggage, in a case that reportedly sparked tensions between his home country and Bermuda.

The 61-year-old from Little Rock was caught with the weapons in a garment bag as he caught a plane out of Bermuda in January after a business meeting.

However, he was acquitted at the Supreme Court last Wednesday, after a jury accepted his explanation that he had hidden the guns in the bag months before for safekeeping, then forgot they were there. The eight women and four men came to their unanimous decision after just 15 minutes of deliberation.

The case sparked the lawyer's supporters to question whether he really needed to be dealt with by means of a costly Supreme Court trial - especially when he was taking the guns out of Bermuda when apprehended.

Director of Public Prosecutions Rory Field has defended the decision, saying it was right to let a jury decide about Mr. Barket's claim of absent-mindedness.

According to a report in the Arkansas Times after Barket's January arrest, the incident sparked a diplomatic row.

"Several Arkansas officials, including Gov. Mike Beebe and Mayor Mark Stodola, have written letters in support of Barket's character and outlined his service as the former chair of the Little Rock Port Authority Board," the March 27 report said.

"Invoking Barket's nickname, friends have created political buttons declaring 'Free Sparky'. Barket has heavier artillery behind him as well. US Rep Vic Snyder's office has been lobbying on Barket's behalf with the State Department, the American Consulate General in Bermuda, the Bermudian Attorney General, and Great Britain's ambassador to the United States."

Both Mr. Stodola and Mr. Snyder flew to Bermuda last week to give glowing evidence of Mr. Barket's unblemished character and community work during the trial.

Now, the Arkansas Times has reported on a letter written by Sir Richard Gozney to US Senators Blanche L. Lincoln and Mark Pryor, and Congressmen Snyder, Mike Ross, Marion Berry and John Boozman ahead of the trial. In it, he thanked them for a letter about the case that he received on May 9.

"I do understand that this is a difficult time for Mr. Barket and for his family and friends, as it would be for anyone in his situation. I told him so when I bumped into him at the theatre a few nights ago," observed the Governor.

And despite the criticism from some quarters over the decision to prosecute the lawyer, Sir Richard gave his full backing to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

"I can confirm to you that Bermuda has an independent, well-regarded judiciary and that our Director of Public Prosecutions is a respected professional of considerable experience," he wrote. "I am therefore confident in assuring you that the laws of Bermuda will be applied fairly in Mr. Barket's case."