Activists March in Charlotte Following Mistrial Decision

Willie Ferrell and his mother, Georgia, listen as their family attorney, Christopher Chestnut talk with reporters about the mistrial in the case of Charlotte policeman Wes Kerrick accused of killing their brother and son, Jonat…

Second, That the defendants act was a predominant cause of Jonathan Ferrell’s death. The courtroom audience sat in silence as they listened to Ervin declare a mistrial.

Supporters of Kerrick and Ferrell treated each other quite amicably during the trial.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer Randall Kerrick had faced up to 11 years in prison.

Police say Kerrick shot and killed 24-year-old Jonathan Ferrell back in September of 2013. He said nonlethal force should have been used to subdue Ferrell. Kerrick, who is white, testified he fired in self-defense because he feared the larger Ferrell, a former college football player, would overpower him and take his gun.

Meanwhile, protesters were outside the courthouse, laying down in the middle of the streets to protest the shooting, chanting “no justice no peace” at the family of Kerrick, and later “hands up don’t shoot”.

The crowd began to move across the streets of uptown Charlotte, occasionally blocking traffic during the evening commute.

The Panthers say they are monitoring the situation uptown ahead of Saturday’s game.

Prosecutors could decide to try Kerrick again in. Kerrick described Ferrell as a man “with crazy-looking eyes… like a hologram of some sort” who ignored his commands and didn’t stop when the officer’s pistol started firing.

“There’s no reasonable probability the jury will reach a verdict in this case”.

After recent riots in Ferguson and Baltimore, the south really put on a show with Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina both having high-profile police shooting deaths of unarmed black males with officers being arrested.

“Judge Ervin, after many days and hours of deliberations we have not come to a conclusion for a definitive and decisive response to either guilty or not guilty”. Prosecutors asked the judge to order the jury to keep trying.

The foreman said the jury’s discussions have been “productive”.

The foreman told the judge the vote was still the same as the last two votes, 8-4. Ervin asked jurors not to indicate whether the votes leaned toward acquittal or conviction.

Defense attorney George Laughrun called for the mistrial because jurors were at an impasse after deliberating for 19 hours. The judge asked whether going home for the weekend would assist the jury in reaching a decision. The case was one of several in recent years that raised questions about police use of deadly force against black men.

It took four votes without reaching unanimous agreement in the death of Jonathan Ferrell, a former Florida A&M football player.

Kerrick was placed on unpaid suspension after the shooting.

Shortly after the family spoke to the public, just a block away at City Hall, CMPD Chief Kerr Putney said he has no regrets about the department charging Kerrick with voluntary manslaughter two years ago.

Jurors have spent the previous two days asking Judge Robert C. Ervin for material and testimony from the trial, which is wrapping up its third week.