COLUMBUS, Ohio — Former Franklin County Sheriff's Deputy Jason Meade will be re-tried on all three charges he was facing in the death of Casey Goodson Jr.
Last Friday, Judge David Young announced the jurors could not come to an agreement on a verdict and declared a mistrial.
More than three years after the shooting, both the Meade and Goodson families will have to wait longer for the court process to play out.
“We kind of thought this was a possibility or even probability,” said former U.S. Attorney Dave DeVillers.
DeVillers said these types of cases where the question isn't who did it, but whether they were justified, are complex and are more likely to end in a mistrial.
“It's a complicated case. It's a case with a lot of emotion as well. I think the key to a case like this that tends to hang from time to time is this burden shift and that's confusing to juries and it's a difficult decision to make,” DeVillers said.
He said he isn't surprised the special prosecutors have decided to retry the case. He expects the next trial will mirror the past one with few changes.
“I don't think it will [change] other than you won't have this surprise witness issue. There may be a tinkering of experts,” he said.
DeVillers said he thinks the new trial will happen by the end of the year, and said he doesn't expect to see an issue of seating a jury.
“More additional questions during voir dire. The question isn't, 'Did you hear about this?' The question is, 'Did you come to a decision of guilt or innocence that you can't put behind you?'” DeVillers said.
The next court date set for the case is scheduled in June.