A mistrial was declared Monday in the case of former University of Miami football player Rashaun Jones, who was accused of murdering teammate Bryan Pata in a slaying that shocked the fabled program and was left unsolved for 15 years.<\/p>\n
The Miami-Dade County panel had been deliberating since Thursday<\/a>, weighing whether Jones gunned down Pata outside the victim’s apartment on Nov. 7, 2006.<\/p>\n “Ladies and gentlemen, I have received your note indicating that you continue to be a deadlock,” Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Cristina Miranda said, “and so at this time, I will declare a mistrial and a hung jury.” <\/p>\n Pata’s mother was visibly upset and put her hands over her face after hearing the mistrial declared.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s disappointing,” the victim’s brother Edwin Pata told reporters outside court. “It\u2019s frustrating really, for all of us, of course, especially my mom, for every single sibling and every person that came out and supported us.”<\/p>\n Prosecutors said the state intends to retry the case and Judge Miranda told attorneys to look at their calendars so she can set a new trial date on Tuesday.<\/p>\n The tally of the jury’s vote, whether it leaned more toward guilt or acquittal, was not disclosed in open court.<\/p>\n “Mr. Jones continues to be presumed innocent and we will be back to fight this again at the next trial,” defense attorney Sara Alvarez said.<\/p>\n Judge Miranda thanked jurors for their work, even if it didn\u2019t end in a verdict.<\/p>\n \u201cI know it\u2019s been a long couple of weeks,\u201d Miranda said. \u201cI know you all put your heart and soul into it, and you were here for very long hours listening to all of the evidence. So we appreciate your work now.\u201d<\/p>\n At the time of his death, the 22-year-old Pata was an up-and-coming defensive lineman on the Miami Hurricanes who was considered an NFL prospect. Jones, a little-used wide receiver and occasional punt returner, was jealous of Pata’s success and popularity, prosecutors said.<\/p>\n Jones was arrested on Aug. 19, 2021<\/a>, about three months short of the 15th anniversary of Pata’s slaying. <\/p>\n