The murder trial of former Ohio deputy sheriff Jason Meade experienced a significant setback on Friday, as another juror was dismissed, compelling the jury to restart deliberations for the third consecutive day.
This development occurred less than an hour after the jury had reconvened to continue their discussions. With no alternate jurors remaining, the course of action in the event of another dismissal remains uncertain.
The court has refrained from disclosing the reasons behind the dismissal of the jurors. However, there are several grounds on which a juror can be dismissed, such as falling ill, conducting independent research on the case, or discussing the case with individuals outside the court.
Meade, a white man, stands accused of murder and reckless homicide in relation to the death of 23-year-old Casey Goodson Jr., a Black man, in Columbus in December 2020. The jury, which initially included four alternates who had heard all the case's testimonies, began deliberations on Wednesday afternoon. One juror was dismissed on the same day, followed by another on Thursday.
During the trial, Meade, who also serves as a pastor at a Baptist church, testified that Goodson brandished a gun at him while they were driving past each other. This led Meade to chase Goodson, fearing for his and others' safety. He claimed to have shot Goodson at the entrance of his grandmother's house when Goodson allegedly turned towards him with a gun.
According to the police, Meade shot Goodson six times, with five shots hitting him in the back. Goodson's family and the prosecution maintain that at the time of the shooting, Goodson was holding a sandwich bag in one hand and his keys in the other. While they do not dispute the possibility of Goodson carrying a gun, they highlighted that he had a license to carry a firearm. Goodson's firearm was later found on his grandmother's kitchen floor, with the safety mechanism engaged.
The prosecution has repeatedly emphasized that there is no bodycam footage of the incident and that Meade is the sole witness who testified that Goodson was holding a gun at the time of the shooting.
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