Murder suspect's cold response as judge declares mistrial in case of missing gay Ole Miss student By MELISSA KOENIG FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: 01:52 GMT, 13 December 2024 | Updated: 01:55 GMT, 13 December 2024 e-mail View comments An accused murderer walked out of a Mississippi courthouse without showing any emotion as his alleged victim's family broke down in tears after a judge declared a mistrial in his case. Sheldon 'Timothy' Herrington Jr.
, 24, was facing charges of capital murder in the July 2022 disappearance of fellow University of Mississippi student Jay Lee, 20. He could also have been convicted of lesser charges of first-degree murder, second-degree murder or manslaughter. Prosecutors have argued Herrington killed the openly gay student following an alleged sexual encounter, but Oxford police never uncovered a body - which Herrington's defense attorney argued was necessary for a conviction, the Clarion Ledger reports.
Jurors heard eight days of arguments and testimony in the trial at the Lafayette County Courthouse, and deliberated for more than nine hours. They twice told Judge Kelly Luther they could not reach a verdict, sending the second message at around 4.20pm Wednesday saying they 'feel confident' they would not be able to reach a unanimous verdict in the case.
The jurors ultimately sat at 11 to one after they declared it was 'impossible' to reach a verdict, at which point Luther declared a mistrial. 'I think after nine and a half hour.
