SEATTLE — A new trial has been ordered for brothers accused of fatally shooting two people and wounding three others at the Seattle homeless encampment known as the Jungle in 2016.
The Seattle Times reports that the King County jury deadlocked last month in the trial of James and Jerome Taafulisia, who were charged with first-degree murder and assault. The brothers were 17 and 16 when they were arrested but were charged as adults.
A new trial is set for January before the same judge.
The forewoman during the first trial, Debbie O’Neal, told the Times that jurors were split 8-to-4 in favor of convicting the brothers, who are now 20 and 18.
Court records show their younger brother, who was 13 at the time of the shooting rampage, was convicted of murder and assault in May in juvenile court.
