A man being tried for the third time for allegedly importing one kilo of cocaine almost saw his case stopped again yesterday after a jury member had to be dismissed.

But the prosecution and defence in the case of Clifton Hopeton Morrison agreed to continue with just 11 jury members in the hope that the trial would reach a conclusion.

The woman jury member was forced to step down after she realised she knew one of the case's key witnesses. It was the second time a juror was excused during Morrison's three trials.

The Supreme Court case into Morrison's alleged drug trafficking in February, 1999, continued in the afternoon.

The 39-year-old from St. Anne's Parish in Jamaica was sentenced to 12 years in prison following trial last July when he was found guilty of importation and possession with intent to supply.

However, a retrial was ordered after the conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal in March on the grounds that Puisne Judge Norma Wade-Miller misdirected the jury.

A second trial started that same month, but had to be halted when a jury member had to be excused again and Morrison demanded a 12-man jury, not 11.

At that point, there had already been a number of postponements because of family bereavements suffered by those involved in the case.

But then there was a further delay in April as there was not a large enough pool of jurors to choose from.

However, on Monday, the third trial got underway with a third prosecutor, Larry Mussenden, at the helm. Crown counsels Patrick Doherty and Sandra Bacchus dealt with the first two trials.

Morrison was arrested by Police at Bermuda International Airport in the early part of last year after arriving on a flight from New York.

A total of 954 grammes of cocaine were found in the two one-litre bottles of Jamaican rum. The stash had an estimated street value of between $90,000 and $180,000, depending on which form it was sold in.

Det. Sgt. Dennis Gordon has testified that the amount of drugs found in the bottles was considered too great for personal use and therefore must be for distribution.

Yesterday Det. Con. Dennis Astwood said Morrison had $3,442 dollars in US currency in his left-hand pocket as well as $60 in Jamaican currency when he was arrested.

Under cross examination by defence counsel Victoria Pearman, he said he made inquiries about Morrison and found he did not have a criminal record in Jamaica.

He also said he made inquiries into a Cooks Hill, Somerset residence and confirmed that an occupant, Cathy Tait, travelled to Jamaica in December, 1998.

Further inquiries revealed that phone calls were made to, and received from Jamaica at that residence.

It also emerged that Mrs. Tait had been married to a Jamaican.

Morrison was searched and arrested after he acted suspiciously in the baggage claim area of the airport upon his arrival.