DETROIT (AP) - The Latest on the murder trial of a Michigan State Police trooper (all times local):
1:35 p.m.
Jurors have failed to reach a verdict in the murder trial of a former Michigan State Police trooper who used a stun gun on a Detroit teenager before the teen was killed in an all-terrain vehicle crash.
Judge Margaret Van Houten declared a mistrial on the third day of deliberations Wednesday after the jury reported another impasse.
Mark Bessner shot Damon (Da-MAHN’) Grimes with a Taser from a moving patrol car in 2017. He told jurors that he feared the 15-year-old had a gun, but he was wrong. Grimes, who was black, crashed into a pickup truck and died.
Bessner, who is white, was charged with second-degree murder. Jurors also could have chosen involuntary manslaughter. But they couldn’t reach a unanimous decision to convict or acquit.
A spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office says Bessner will be retried. The next hearing is scheduled for Nov. 7.
___
10 a.m.
Jurors have resumed deliberations in the murder trial of a former Michigan State Police trooper after letting a judge know they don’t believe they can reach a verdict.
Deliberations continued Wednesday in the case against Mark Bessner, who shot Damon (Da-MAHN’) Grimes in Detroit with a Taser from a moving patrol car in August 2017. Grimes crashed the all-terrain vehicle he was driving into a pickup truck and died.
Jurors began deliberating Monday. They sent notes to Judge Margaret Van Houten on Tuesday and she told them to keep working.
Bessner, who is white, told jurors that he feared the 15-year-old joyrider had a gun, but he was wrong. The teen was black.
Bessner was charged with second-degree murder. Jurors also can consider involuntary manslaughter.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.