BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS

SANTA ANA -- Jurors continued into their fifth day of deliberation

without reaching a verdict Tuesday in the trial of Eric Bechler at the

Orange County Courthouse.

Bechler, 33, was arrested in October 1999 and accused of murdering his

wife, Pegye, during a boating excursion off the Newport Beach coast more

than three years ago.

The prosecution has alleged that Bechler hit his 38-year-old wife on

the head with a dumbbell and dumped her body in the ocean. Bechler has

denied all charges and has maintained that his wife was swept underwater

by a wave when she was driving their rented speedboat while towing him on

a bodyboard.

The jury has been discussing the case for more than 24 hours now. On

Tuesday, they reportedly heard a few hours of testimony reread by the

court reporter.

Jurors are scheduled to resume deliberation at 9 a.m. today.