DETROIT – A mistrial has been declared in the trial for a former Michigan State Police trooper charged in a Detroit teenager's ATV death.
Jury members told the judge Tuesday that they couldn't come to an unanimous verdict. Judge Margaret Van Houten said Wednesday that the court has "no choice but to accept their hung jury and their mistrial."
Mark Bessner is charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. He's accused of firing his Taser at 15-year-old Damon Grimes while the teen was riding an ATV last summer.
Grimes crashed and couldn't be revived.
On Tuesday, the judge told the jury to go back and keep at it on day two of deliberations.
"This is like a hurry up and wait situation," said Oliver Gantt, a family friend of the Grimes family.
Gantt has been in court every day and was anticipating a verdict on Tuesday.