Nick Ut / AP
"Desperate Housewives" star, Nicollette Sheridan arrives at court Tuesday March 13, 2012, in Los Angeles.
By Natalie Finn and Baker Machado, E! Online
The jury is deadlocked, but ... it might not matter!
As the panel ended its third day of deliberations at an 8-4 impasse, attorneys for Nicollette Sheridan and ABC are in a settlement meeting in front of Judge Helen Bendix, E! News can exclusively confirm.
So, what does this mean?
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If the two sides can reach a monetary settlement, which would presumably remain confidential, it would render the jury's decision -- if there ever is one -- moot.
"At any point prior to the verdict being read, the parties can agree to any kind of settlement," attorney Troy Slaten (who is not involved in these proceedings) tells E! News.
"Whichever side thinks they have the majority of jurors may be less inclined to settle. But at this point no side should know whether the jury is divided in their favor or in the other side's favor."
"Which ever side thinks they are going to lose is going to be anxious to settle," Slaten added.
"I know how frustrating this is for you," Judge Elizabeth Allen White told jurors today, adding that she would declare a mistrial if they couldn't reach a decision on Monday. The jury foreman told her yesterday they were having a difficult time reaching a verdict.
Earlier in the week, White dismissed Sheridan's battery claim against "Desperate Housewives" creator Marc Cherry, thereby excusing him as a defendant in the case. He had previously indicated that he would not be present for any reading of the verdict.
The jury was then tasked with determining whether or not ABC Entertainment fired Sheridan in retaliation for her complaints about Cherry's allegedly bad behavior on set.
--Additional reporting by Claudia Rosenbaum
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