US Agent Convicted of Murder in Hawaii Shooting Declared Not Gulity
Ren Benavidez | | Aug 16, 2014 12:09 AM EDT |
(Photo : FACEBOOK)
A federal agent accused of murdering a man at a Hawaii restaurant was acquitted by a jury on Thursday during a retrial.
In 2013, during the first trial for the case, a judge announced a mistrial when a different set of jurors reached an impasse about the murder case against State Department Special Agent Christopher Deedy.
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A new jury was chosen for the case who reached a unanimous not guilty verdict.
The leader of the jury during the 2013 trial said the jurors reached a stalemate with eight of them in favor of acquittal and four who wanted Deedy to be convicted.
However, the new jury already ruled out murder because what happened wasn't premeditated, but they couldn't agree on whether it could be considered as reckless manslaughter, first degree, or second degree assault.
The family of the victim, Kollin Elderts, scurried out of the court room after the acquittal was handed out to Deedy.
Deedy shot Elderts at a Waikiki McDonald's in November 2011, a move that the defendant claimed was done in self-defense.
Deedy, 30, was off duty when the incident happened. He went to the fast-food restaurant and saw that Elderts, 23, was bullying a customer.
He shot Elderts three times, "to stop the threat, to kill the assailant."
Elderts' family expressed their disappointment towards prosecutors for not having demanded a conviction for manslaughter last year.
Elderts family spokesperson Kalama Niheu, released a statement saying the family was dissatisfied that the prosecutors did not bring justice to their dead family member.
In the statement, the family referred to Deedy as an "irresponsible, cowardly individual" who forever changed their lives.
The statement went on to say that they will never forgive Deedy for his recklessness that brought about the death of their loved one.
TagsHawaii shooting, Hawaii McDonald's shooting, Christopher Deedy, Elderts shooting
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