DETROIT — Wayne County Circuit Judge Cynthia Gray Hathaway declared a mistrial in the case against Detroit Special Response Team Officer Joseph Weekley mid-afternoon Tuesday.

The jury indicated to the judge on the third day of deliberations that they were at an impasse and could not reach a unanimous decision.

WDIV, Channel 4 News reports that Hathaway declared a "hung jury" Tuesday and scheduled a new pretrial for July 25.

The jury notified Hathaway with a letter earlier Tuesday that they were having difficulty reaching a unanimous agreement. When still no progress had been made as the day's deliberations neared an end, Hathaway made a decision to halt the jury discussions.



Weekley, nicknamed "Brain" by his unit, is charged with involuntary manslaughter, which carries a prison sentence of up to 15 years, and reckless discharge of a firearm causing death stemming from the May 16, 2010 raid of the home where Aiyana Jones slept on a couch.

Weekley said he pulled the trigger accidentally when Mertila Jones, Aiyana's grandmother, hit his gun from the couch, causing him to recoil and his finger to pull the trigger.