Hung jury in trial of ex-Boeing worker accused of leaking secrets

SEATTLE -- The trial of a former Boeing Co. inspector accused of leaking sensitive information from the Chicago-based company has ended in a hung jury.

A spokesman for the King County prosecutor's office said Monday that prosecutors will decide in the next two weeks whether to retry Gerald Eastman, who had been charged with several counts of computer trespass.

The 46-year-old was accused of downloading documents and sharing them with The Seattle Times for stories about air safety. His lawyer argued he may have broken company rules but did not commit a crime.

Eastman inspected engine mounts and tail pipes at a Boeing plant in Tukwila, south of Seattle. Boeing fired him in 2006. He faced three years in prison if convicted.