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Jury Deadlocks on Murder Charges Against 2 Men in California Mass Shooting
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- The murder trial of Mtula Payton and Dandrae Martin, accused of killing six and injuring 13 in a 2022 Sacramento mass shooting, ended in a mistrial due to jurors' inability to reach a verdict on the murder charges.
- Both men were convicted on weapons charges, specifically one count each of unlawful possession of a gun as a felony, but the jury deadlocked on three counts of first-degree murder.
- Prosecutors withdrew the initial first-degree murder charges last week, and a decision on whether to retry the defendants on murder charges is expected in October.
- The nearly three-month trial included testimony from witnesses as young as 12 years old, with the jury commended for their serious effort despite the deadlock.
- The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office has not commented on the possibility of a retrial or further details regarding the case.
