LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge has declared a mistrial in the case of California teen accused of murdering a gay classmate at a Ventura County junior high school three years ago.
Jurors on Thursday told Ventura County Superior Court Judge Charles Campbell they were unable to reach a unanimous decision whether Brandon McInerney was guilty of killing 15-year-old Larry King.
The panel had deliberated since Friday and was considering convictions ranging from voluntary manslaughter to first-degree murder.
Defense attorneys do not deny McInerney killed King, but they said their client snapped when he heard moments before the shooting that King wanted to change his first name to Latisha.
Prosecutors now have to decide whether to re-file murder and hate crime charges against McInerney, now 17, who was tried as an adult.
