Chicken Trial Failures Have Judge Asking Why Do This Over Again

The U.S. Justice Department has tried and failed twice to prove price-fixing in the chicken industry. Now, before it tries for a third time, a federal judge in Denver is demanding an explanation.

“I am going to order that the head of the antitrust division come in here within the next week and look me in the eye and explain to me why the government is going to retry this case,” U.S. District Judge Philip Brimmer said Tuesday.

The judge declared a mistrial after jurors were unable to reach a verdict on criminal charges against 10 men who worked for ...