Mistrial in Genocide Case

Jurors deadlocked in a case over whether a New Hampshire woman played a role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

The federal judge has declared a mistrial.

Federal prosecutors accused Beatrice Munyenyezi of lying on documents – concealing her role in the genocide - to gain citizenship here.

Lawyers alleged Munyenyezi encouraged killers to kill and rapists to rape.

The defense argues the case was politically motivated, that the Rwandan government is threatened by ex-pats who challenge that Hutus committed genocide against the Tutsis.

Munyenyezi’s lawyer, David Ruoff says the government couldn’t prove its case.

“To have a case like this with the enormous amount of resources that were poured in by Homeland Security for the prosecution not to be able to convince 12 jurors is a win for the defense.”

Ruoff says the federal government has spent upwards of $2 million dollars in the case.