The trial of a man accused of supplying drugs to a nursery school teacher was halted yesterday for the second time in two days because a member of the jury was related to the co-accused.

Victoria Pearman, lawyer for Wilston Ezekial Davis, 42, of Somerset Road in Sandys, said her client was not willing to proceed with 11 jurors.

Ms Pearman told Chief Justice Richard Ground that she ?rose with trepidation? to say anything negative about the jury, but counsel had new information about juror number seven, Raymond Augustus.

After being sworn in, Mr. Augustus told the court that he was a cousin of Davis? live-in-girlfriend and co-accused Cindy Oneia Augustus, 26, also of Somerset Road, who was sentenced to nine years in prison on September 18, 2003.

Ms Augustus pleaded guilty to having cocaine at the Vernon Temple Childcare Centre where she worked.

Although Mr. Augustus said ?he had no preconception? of the case, Mr. Justice Ground told counsel that Mr. Augustus ?might resent a man who helped send his cousin to jail for nine years?.

Mr. Justice Ground?s official position was that juror number seven ?was discharged from the jury because he might not have been indifferent towards the accused.?

Mr. Justice Ground thanked the 11 jury members for their participation in the case even though he called it a ?doomed participation?.

Davis will next appear in Supreme Court for the monthly arraignments session on June 1.