The murder trial of Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi Tin-fung has been delayed following a decision by Deputy Judge Brian Keith to discharge the recently empanelled jury. The decision was made on Monday after one of the nine jurors—consisting of seven men and two women—requested to be excused from service for health reasons.

Judge Keith accepted the juror's request, noting that the discharge was necessary to ensure that the jury selection process remains in strict compliance with established legal precedents. Because the original panel can no longer proceed as constituted, the court must now begin the process of empanelling an entirely new jury before the trial can move forward. The court has not yet announced a specific date for the new selection process, but the development marks a procedural setback in a high-profile case that has drawn significant public attention in Hong Kong. The trial concerns the death of Abby Choi, whose former relatives are the primary defendants in the case.