Prosecutors said Monday they will not retry an Arizona rancher whose trial in the fatal shooting of a Mexican man on his property ended last week with a deadlocked jury.

The jurors in the trial of George Alan Kelly were unable to reach a unanimous decision on a verdict after more than two days of deliberation. Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Thomas Fink declared a mistrial on April 22.

After the mistrial, the Santa Cruz County Attorney’s Office had the option to retry Kelly — or to drop the case.

Prosecutors had said Kelly recklessly fired nine shots from an AK-47 rifle toward a group of men on his cattle ranch, including Cuen-Buitimea, about 100 yards (90 meters) away. Kelly has said he fired warning shots in the air, but argued he didn’t shoot directly at anyone.

  • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    51
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    6 months ago

    They weren’t warning shots if he hit them… why the fuck isn’t this an open-shut case - he shot someone, that’s at least manslaughter.

    • Alteon@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      31
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      6 months ago

      It’s not murder if your fellow white men see it as acceptable, I guess.

      Yeah…this is fucked.

      • gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        19
        arrow-down
        8
        ·
        6 months ago

        Absolutely should have been, but the Biden administration has decided trying to appease racist douchebags is the way to go with all of their policies towards migrants and asylum seekers so don’t hold your breath on that one

        • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          7
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          edit-2
          6 months ago

          Border security legislation is created by Congress. Do you have an example of legislation or action from Biden that supports persecution of migrants or asylum seekers?

    • ickplant@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      15
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      6 months ago

      Cause he was tried by a jury of his peers, half of whom think this is A-OK and to be encouraged.

    • quindraco@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      6 months ago

      For one thing, he was charged with second-degree murder. The prosecutor would have to charge him with manslaughter (and/or negligent homicide), which would require competence.

      The fact that the prosecutor is simply dropping the case instead tells you immediately how incompetent they are.