Jury split 8-4 for not guilty in Kerrick trial
A mistrial was declared Friday in the trial of Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Officer Randall “Wes” Kerrick, charged with voluntary manslaughter, after the jury became deadlocked.
Jonathan Ferrell was killed after being struck 10 times from bullets discharged from Kerrick’s weapon. Ferrell, 24, was walking in the street after seeking help from a brutal car wreck. Dashboard cam footage shows Ferrell approaching the police before being tasered and shot with live ammunition.
The 12-member jury consisted of two people who were Latino, three African-American and seven white. Eight were women and four were men. According to the foreman, the jury voted four times over the course of four days. The jury said they voted 7 to 5 on Tuesday, 8 to 4 on Thursday and 8 to 4 two different times on Friday. A source told WBTV the final 8-4 vote on Friday leaned in favor of a “Not Guilty” verdict.
After the announcement, protesters promptly staged a “die in” in uptown Charlotte yelling “If we don’t get it, shut it down.” While initially standing in front of the courthouse chanting and holding signs, protestors, led by Jonathan Ferrell’s brother Willie Ferrell, began to march into the street blocking incoming traffic.
#JonathanFerrell‘s brother holding sign as demonstrators lay outside courthouse for ‘die-in’ in. #KerrickTrial #CLT pic.twitter.com/9JbmliCQGO
— Audrina Bigos (@AudrinaBigos) August 10, 2015
#KerrickTrial protest passing by BB&T. Been all over uptown #Charlotte picked up a lot more people. pic.twitter.com/ZeTJvOYEgF
— Kristen Hampton WBTV (@KHamptonWBTV) August 21, 2015
Group now protesting #KerrickTrial at #CMPD headquarters in #Charlotte pic.twitter.com/FUntzNM2dB
— Kristen Hampton WBTV (@KHamptonWBTV) August 22, 2015
Prosecutors have not announced whether they seek to try the case again.
