BREAKING: Judge Declares Mistrial After Jury Unable to Reach Unanimous Verdict in Murder Trial for Arizona Rancher George Alan Kelly
George Alan Kelly
A judge on Monday declared a mistrial after an Arizona jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict in the murder trial for Arizona rancher George Alan Kelly.
Jurors deliberated last Thursday and were unable to reach a verdict. Deliberations continued on Friday and after more than 7 hours the jury sent a note to the judge and informed him they could not reach a verdict.
Before the jury resumed deliberations on Monday, George Kelly told News Nation’s Ali Bradley that he is confident he is going home for good after today.
“I’m goin’ home today… For good,” he said as he walked into court in Satna Cruz County.
AZ: “I’m goin’ home today… For good.” 75-year-old rancher George Alan Kelly is hopeful the jury will have a verdict today—He tells me he has faith that it will go in his favor.
Day 3 of deliberations are underway here in Santa Cruz County. pic.twitter.com/Y4HicdLv87
— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) April 22, 2024
The parties will reconvene in a status hearing to discuss next steps on Monday.
#BREAKING Judge declares mistrial in case against George Alan Kelly.
The jury for a second time came to an impasse this afternoon and did not feel they could come to a unanimous decision.
The parties will reconvene in a status hearing to discuss next steps on Monday.
— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) April 22, 2024
AZ Central reported:
Jurors in the murder case against a Nogales-area rancher accused of killing an unarmed migrant on his property were unable to reach a unanimous verdict and remained deadlocked on the charges.
After more than 15 hours of deliberation, the judge declared a mistrial just after 4:30 p.m.
The trial centered on the Jan. 30 death of Mexican migrant Gabriel Cuen Buitimea who was found shot after rancher George Alan Kelly fired warning shots into the air, alleged his defense attorney.
George Kelly, the Arizona rancher who was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and aggravated assault for defending his wife and property from illegal invaders went on trial last month.
Kelly faced a second-degree murder charge for Buitimea’s death, and an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for putting another man, Daniel Ramirez in danger. Ramirez had been traveling with Buitimea looking for work in the U.S. Buitimea’s body was found 115 yards, a football field away from Kelly’s house hours after the shooting incident.
Attorneys and the judge discussing which instructions to pass on to the jury noted the jurors looked tired and frustrated earlier that day when they told the judge they were at an impasse.
Kelly, 75, was arrested for killing Gabriel Cuen-Butimea, on his Arizona ranch in Kino Springs just outside of Nogales, Mexico on January 30, 2023.
According to reports, Gabriel Cuen-Butimea has a history of illegally crossing into the United States and multiple deportations.
According to the defense lawyers, Mr. Kelly fired warning shots after he saw a group of men dressed in camouflaged clothing point an AK-47 right at him.
George Alan Kelly was careful to shoot above their heads, the lawyers said.
The rancher later discovered the deceased illegal alien, who is likely a cartel smuggler, when he went to go check on his horse.
Kelly was initially charged with first-degree murder, but a judge recently downgraded his charge to second-degree murder during an evidentiary hearing in court.
Kelly’s defense attorney Brenna Larkin told jurors that her client “was in a life or death situation.”
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