Jury deliberations are going into a 3rd day within the trial of Raul Valle after the jury stated they continue to be deadlocked on the homicide cost filed in opposition to the person accused of killing 17-year-old Fairfield Prep pupil James “Jimmy” McGrath.
Valle, 20, is accused of stabbing and killing McGrath and stabbing three others at a home get together in Shelton on Could 14, 2022.
He has been charged with one rely of homicide, two counts of assault within the first diploma and one rely of assault within the second diploma.
The jury stated they have not been in a position to attain a verdict on any of the costs they usually requested to rehear testimony that Valle gave.
Deliberations began on Monday and simply hours after being despatched to start deciding the case, they got here again round 12:47 p.m. with a word saying that they “are hopelessly” deadlocked on the homicide cost – 11 to 1.
Decide Shari Murphy introduced the jury again into the courtroom and ordered them to proceed to deliberate.
After a number of extra hours, courtroom adjourned for the day.
On Tuesday morning, Murphy stated the courtroom had obtained a second word from the jury at 4:45 p.m. on Monday saying they had been nonetheless deadlocked on the homicide cost and couldn’t attain a verdict on counts two, three and 4. She once more directed them to proceed deliberating.
She introduced within the courtroom that an alternate juror additionally requested to go away for a medical appointment and that particular person was allowed to go away for the appointment, however will stay an alternate within the case.
Late on Tuesday, the jury requested to re-hear testimony from Valle concerning the battle that led to the deadly stabbing. After listening to the testimony, the jury returned to deliberate and didn’t attain a verdict earlier than being despatched residence for the day.
Valle, who was 16 years outdated on the time of the deadly stabbing, pled not responsible. In 2023, he rejected a plea deal that supplied him 40 years in jail. Throughout his trial, he took the stand in his personal protection.
A glance again on the trial
This is a glance again on the case and the trial.
The deadly stabbing occurred at 43 Laurel Glen Drive in Shelton after Valle and his greatest pal Tyler DaSilva from St. Joseph Excessive College obtained right into a battle with a gaggle of youngsters from Shelton Excessive College, in response to police.
In the course of the trial, the state introduced in 25 witnesses, together with members of the Shelton Police Division, medical professionals who handled the victims and associates from either side of the courtroom.
The jury additionally heard from a number of individuals who had been on the get together, together with all three surviving victims — Ryan Heinz, Thomas Connery and Faison Teele — three adults who had been additionally teenagers on the time.
Heinz testified that he was stabbed in three components of his physique.
He obtained in depth medical therapy for his accidents, however he testified the reminiscence of the night time replays on daily basis in his thoughts.
Connery testified that he was stabbed 4 instances within the leg and his quadricep has everlasting harm.
Teele was stabbed within the arm however couldn’t have stitches, in response to testimony from Eric Black, a doctor assistant who works at Griffin Hospital.
On the eighth day of the trial, witnesses Taylor Capela and Charlie Connery testified to seeing Valle stab McGrath.
As soon as the state rested its case on Wednesday, the protection referred to as on Valle to take the stand.
He testified that he entered the battle at Laurel Glen Drive as a result of he wished to again up DaSilva, his childhood greatest pal.
“I saw my best friend, somebody that I love. Nobody was helping him,” Valle stated.
All through his testimony, Valle stated he didn’t know they had been heading to Laurel Glen Drive till they arrived and the knife used was not his.
Valle testified to feeling “confused” when his schoolmate, and the driving force of the night time Jack Snyder, handed him his knife previous to the battle.
Valle stated he positioned the knife in his pocket and admitted to utilizing it, however stated he didn’t notice he was stabbing anybody. He stated his intention was to wave it to scare off the kids within the battle, but it surely didn’t work.
All through the trial, the jury realized that the state supplied Snyder and DaSilva an immunity deal in trade for truthful testimony.
Final Thursday, Senior Assistant State’s Lawyer Marc Durso stated this case is about Valle, who introduced a knife, provoked a battle and stabbed 4 children, killing one. He argued that Valle did not act in self-defense and intent could be fashioned inside a motion.
Valle’s protection legal professional Kevin Smith urged the jury to place sympathy apart – “sympathy for the sufferer, for the defendant, sympathy has no place right here.”
“This is what self-defense looks like. It’s chaotic, it’s messy it transpires quickly, and you don’t have to make the best decision,” Smith stated.
The protection stated the witnesses have chosen reminiscence and requested the jury to contemplate why the testimony of people that have immunity would have extra weight than his consumer’s.
The state stated that, even with immunity, the testimony from Snyder and DaSilva mirrors the opposite testimony.
You may watch video of protection from the trial on the NBC Connecticut YouTube web page.
