INDIANAPOLIS -- An Indianapolis jury deadlocked after more than 8 hours of deliberation Wednesday night – unable to reach a verdict about a man accused of a 2016 murder in a Broad Ripple alley.
Marcus Barnes, 24, was charged with murder and battery by means of a deadly weapon for the Oct. 3, 2016, shooting death of 23-year-old Tre Spencer.
Spencer and another man, 22-year-old Shaquille Potts, were shot during a fight in an alley near the Casba night club in Broad Ripple. The fight, as police would later learn, involved two other men and stemmed from an argument over a girl. But it was Spencer and Potts who were shot – and Spencer who ultimately lost his life.
LONGFORM | Wrong place, wrong time: The murder of Tre Spencer
Witnesses identified Barnes as the shooter. He was taken into custody three weeks later by U.S. Marshals.
Barnes’ jury trial began Monday – two days after his 24th birthday. After two-and-a-half days of evidence, the case was sent to jurors at 12:36 p.m. Wednesday. But after more than 8 hours of deliberation, the jury foreman informed the court there was a problem: they couldn’t reach a consensus. After questioning in open court, Judge Sheila Carlisle declared a mistrial and sent jurors home.
A pretrial conference was scheduled in the case for May 2 to determine how it will move forward. The Marion County Prosecutor's Office said Thursday it intends to try the case again.
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