|
Murder trial ends in mistrial |
|
Tuesday, 09 March 2010 |
By James Leigh — Staff Writer
After three days of testimony and just over six hours of deliberation, Seventh Judicial Circuit Judge Phillip Shirron declared a mistrial in the first degree murder trial of Kameron Henderson.
At 8:05 p.m. Monday night, Judge Shirron declared a mistrial after determining that the jury could not reach a consensus for a verdict.
The case will be set for another trial at a later date.
According to testimony in the case, on March 24, 2009, Henderson shot and killed Dwight Reece after an incident involving one of his two pit bulls killing one of Henderson’s chickens.
Testimony showed that Henderson had returned home from work after being informed about the incident, and when he arrived, Reece spoke told him about the chicken and offered to pay for it.
Henderson refused the payment, but he told Reece to get his dogs off of the property or he would be forced to shoot them.
Reece then called his father as Henderson went to his truck to get his .22 caliber rifle.
Henderson began to follow one of the dogs with the rifle as it made its way off of the property, and he then looked up to see Reece with an object, characterized as a stick or pipe, outstretched as if to hit him.
Henderson then shot four times, hitting Reece twice in the head. Reece died three days later from his injuries.
Testimony in the case began Thursday afternoon in the Hot Spring County Courthouse.
The case continued Friday, and Friday afternoon, the prosecution rested their case after testimony from 12 witnesses.
Monday morning, the defense, headed by attorney Clay Janske, took the case, and they called two witnesses, including Henderson.
The state was then given the chance to call witnesses a second time, and after one man testified, the state rested once again.
After the judge read the jury instructions, the attorneys were allowed to make closing arguments.
Richard Garrett closed for the state.
“This is not a case where there is a substantial amount of facts that are disputed,” he said. “Kameron didn’t hate Dwight Reece.”
“The question is who was the original agressor,” he concluded. “I ask you to go back there and make a decision based on the evidence.”
Janske then closed for the defense.
“It all comes down to the credibility of these witnesses,” he said, reminding the jury of much of the testimony in the case. “What does he do [after the incident]? He does the right thing. He calls the police.”
“You have a right to protect yourself on your property,” Janske concluded. “He’s not guilty. He didn’t do anything that any of us wouldn’t have done. Don’t make Lady Justice weep.”
Eddie Easley had the final words for the prosecution.
“If Dwight Reece was such a bad guy, if Kameron Henderson was so frightened ... why didn’t he wait for the police to get there,” he concluded.
The jury was given the case for deliberation at 2 p.m. Monday.
|
|
Last Updated ( Monday, 22 March 2010 )
|
