By Grace Q. Bryant
Criminal Court “A” Judge Roosevelt Willie announced that there will be a re-trial in the alleged murder case involving Patrick Kollie.
The retrial was called for as a result of a hung verdict brought down by the 12-member jury when it informed the court that it could not derive a decision to adjudge the defendant.
The deadlocked jury is a judicial jury that cannot agree upon a verdict after extended deliberation and is unable to reach the required unanimity or supermajority. Hung verdict usually results in the case being tried again.
As murder is a first degree felony which is nonbailable, Judge Willie noted that the defendant will remain in prison until a retrial is conducted to make the final determination in the case.
However, to adjudge defendant Kollie guilty of the crime of Murder, seven members of the jury voted against and five in favor, the court in its wisdom believes that, that does not constitute the number to set the defendant free.
Defendant Kollie was being litigated on allegation of murder, after the Grand Jury of Montserrado County indicted him for his link to the death of victim Valentine Johnson, an incident that took place in the early morning hours of July 4.
The victim along with three others were said to have been enroute from Jessie’s Bar on a birthday celebration to Seny Bar in Duport Road when he met his untimely death.
Defendant Kollie, during the trial, pleaded not guilty to the indictment of murder and started that the arm was discharged mistakenly during a tussle with criminals at the Police Academy Junction.
One of the lead defense lawyers, Richard J. Scott, Jr. told reporters that defense reserves the right to file a bond for Defendant Kollie at the current stage of the case.
