Suit against Virginia officer who shot man ends in mistrial

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Jurors in Virginia have failed to reach a verdict in a civil case that stems from a police-involved shooting.

The Virginian-Pilot reports (http://bit.ly/2oJbvNr) that a federal judge in Norfolk declared a mistrial on Tuesday. Jurors said they were hopelessly deadlocked after 14 hours of deliberation.

Marius Mitchell had sued former Norfolk officer Neal Robertson for $10 million. He accused Robertson of excessive force, false arrest and battery in 2013.

Robertson said he thought people in Mitchell’s car could be burglary suspects. He shot Mitchell after a chase. Both men offer different versions about what happened.

Mitchell is black and Robertson is white. Mitchell said he tried to surrender. Robertson said he was dragged by Mitchell’s car when he tried to arrest him.

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Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, http://pilotonline.com

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