MIAMI — A hung jury and mistrial was declared Monday morning in the trial of Rashaun Jones, who is accused of killing former University of Miami football teammate Bryan Pata in 2006.
A Miami-Dade County judge declared the mistrial after jurors said they were deadlocked.
The jury had deliberated for six hours Thursday and for another hour and a half Monday.
“I’m disappointed. It’s frustrating, really for all of us,” the victim’s brother, Edwin Pata, said. “Of course, especially for my mom, for every single sibling, and every person who came out and supported us. I think the big thing for us is just closure. It’s just some kind of closure for us, but we’re going to remain steadfast and it’s clearer now who’s responsible for this.”
Jurors first began deliberating Jones’ fate on Thursday afternoon after hearing closing arguments Wednesday.
Miami-Dade prosecutors accuse Jones, 40, of fatally shooting Pata, 22, who was his teammate at UM, on Nov. 7, 2006, in the head at an apartment complex in the Kendall area, near Dadeland.
Jones was not arrested until 15 years later.
The state’s case hinged on allegations of jealousy and circumstantial evidence, including Jones’ behavior, phone records and a projectile prosecutors alleged matched a gun he told others he owned.
“The defense wants you to believe that the defendant is the unluckiest person alive,” prosecutor Cristina Diamond told jurors on Wednesday.
Jones’ attorneys argued that the case is completely without merit. They attacked testimony given by former UM professor Paul Conner, who placed Jones at the scene.
“Paul Conner and his selection are not proof beyond a reasonable doubt. They are not credible. The other evidence in this case, the other pieces of these random puzzles that the government has tried to piece together for you, do not equal murder,” defense attorney Christian Maroni said. “The evidence in this case has shown that Rashaun Jones was at home, consistent with his phone records, consistent with his statement, consistent with all the evidence and the lack of evidence and the conflicts of the evidence that you have heard in this case.”
“I think we were all hoping that the jury would see what we see but he’s strong, he has faith, and he’s going to be OK,” added defense attorney Sara Alvarez. ”Mr. Jones continued to be presumed innocent. We will be back to fight this again at the next trial. "
Prosecutors, in their rebuttal, acknowledged that the case is circumstantial, but said all of that evidence adds up.
“This is a circumstantial evidence case. We have talked about all of the pieces right, like a rope that is made up of many different strands,” prosecutor Kristen Rodriguez told jurors. “Independently, they may be nimble, but when put together, right, when put together, they form a bond, an unbreakable bond and that is what we have.”
If Jones was convicted of second-degree murder, he would have faced 25 years to life in prison. It’s unclear whether the state will retry the case.
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