"At this point we are deadlocked with no one willing to move. Under Florida law, a mistrial means that prosecutors can try the case with a new jury, and a new trial must come within 90 days. The deadlock came after five days of testimony in which nearly two dozen former teammates, coaches, law enforcement officers and others told jurors about prior fights between the two, tensions over a girlfriend, and Jones having a gun."
"Nearly all evidence against Jones, 40, was circumstantial amid a flurry of police missteps that came to light over the years, and Jones was not charged in the case until nearly 15 years after the killing. He had maintained his innocence and declined plea offers just before trial that would have limited his prison time instead of risking up to life in prison."
"Prosecutors relied heavily on recorded testimony from former University of Miami instructor Paul Conner, who told police he encountered someone walking away from the apartment complex where Pata was killed shortly after the shooting."
A mistrial was declared in Miami when jurors became deadlocked during deliberations in the murder trial of former Miami Hurricanes player Rashaun Jones, accused of shooting teammate Bryan Pata in 2006. After six jurors deliberated for approximately six hours on Thursday and additional hours on Monday, they reported being unable to reach a verdict. The prosecution's case relied heavily on circumstantial evidence, including testimony from a witness who claimed to have seen someone leaving the crime scene, accounts of prior conflicts between the two players, and evidence that Jones possessed a .38-caliber revolver consistent with the murder weapon. Jones, 40, maintained his innocence and rejected plea offers before trial. Under Florida law, prosecutors may retry the case with a new jury within 90 days.
Read at ESPN.com
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