FORT WORTH — The case against an Arlington man accused of killing a 17-year-old during a confrontation over a minor car crash has ended in a mistrial.
The jury deliberated for about six hours Friday before indicating that they were deadlocked — seven for guilty, five for not guilty.
Giorgio Raleigh Debose, 20, was on trial last week in state District Judge George Gallagher’s court.
Debose is accused in the July 5, 2006, death of Terrance Chance.
The background
Police have said that Chance and another man were in a red Chevrolet Malibu when it struck a Chrysler New Yorker occupied by Debose and some other men. Witnesses told police that two people who were in the New Yorker tried to chase the Malibu on foot, but the car got away.
The cars eventually met up again on East Mulkey Street and New York Avenue, where witnesses said Debose and another man got out of the New Yorker and confronted the driver of the Malibu and Chance, a passenger. Witnesses told police that Debose shot Chance during the confrontation.
Afterward, police have said, Chance’s friends loaded his body into the back seat of the Malibu and drove it to an abandoned house on East Powell, where the body was left. The driver of the car later told police that he left Chance’s body there while he tried to retaliate for the killing.
What the prosecution said
Prosecutor Jim Hudson, who tried the case with Sheila Wynn, said that Debose is still charged with murder and that the case will remain pending until it is either retried or a plea bargain is reached. Hudson tipped his hat to defense attorney Jim Shaw, a "superb cross-examiner" who he said attacked the credibility of his witnesses. Hudson said some of his witnesses had criminal cases, at least two were alleged gang members, one had mental issues and another couldn’t be located. "We had our work cut out for us," Hudson said.
What the defense said
Shaw, who defended Debose with Jim Renforth, said he pointed out inconsistencies in the state’s witnesses and placed blame on others besides his client. At one point, Shaw said, Gallagher told him he would sanction him at the end of the trial because he continued to cross-examine a witness about his perjured testimony. A hearing on the matter has been scheduled for next week.
Shaw said that if he was found in contempt of court and had to spend Fourth of July in jail it would be "better than spending all day with my wife’s family."
"I’m sorry it happened," Shaw said. "I’m very contrite. I don’t want to go to jail."
MELODY McDONALD, 817-390-7386 Fort Worth Star Telegram
The jury deliberated for about six hours Friday before indicating that they were deadlocked — seven for guilty, five for not guilty.
Giorgio Raleigh Debose, 20, was on trial last week in state District Judge George Gallagher’s court.
Debose is accused in the July 5, 2006, death of Terrance Chance.
The background
Police have said that Chance and another man were in a red Chevrolet Malibu when it struck a Chrysler New Yorker occupied by Debose and some other men. Witnesses told police that two people who were in the New Yorker tried to chase the Malibu on foot, but the car got away.
The cars eventually met up again on East Mulkey Street and New York Avenue, where witnesses said Debose and another man got out of the New Yorker and confronted the driver of the Malibu and Chance, a passenger. Witnesses told police that Debose shot Chance during the confrontation.
Afterward, police have said, Chance’s friends loaded his body into the back seat of the Malibu and drove it to an abandoned house on East Powell, where the body was left. The driver of the car later told police that he left Chance’s body there while he tried to retaliate for the killing.
What the prosecution said
Prosecutor Jim Hudson, who tried the case with Sheila Wynn, said that Debose is still charged with murder and that the case will remain pending until it is either retried or a plea bargain is reached. Hudson tipped his hat to defense attorney Jim Shaw, a "superb cross-examiner" who he said attacked the credibility of his witnesses. Hudson said some of his witnesses had criminal cases, at least two were alleged gang members, one had mental issues and another couldn’t be located. "We had our work cut out for us," Hudson said.
What the defense said
Shaw, who defended Debose with Jim Renforth, said he pointed out inconsistencies in the state’s witnesses and placed blame on others besides his client. At one point, Shaw said, Gallagher told him he would sanction him at the end of the trial because he continued to cross-examine a witness about his perjured testimony. A hearing on the matter has been scheduled for next week.
Shaw said that if he was found in contempt of court and had to spend Fourth of July in jail it would be "better than spending all day with my wife’s family."
"I’m sorry it happened," Shaw said. "I’m very contrite. I don’t want to go to jail."
MELODY McDONALD, 817-390-7386 Fort Worth Star Telegram
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