Jury deadlocked in Lauriano murder trial

He was accused of the January 2004 murder of Kareem “Butchy” Broaster, but today a jury of seven women and five men could not agree on the question of Darrington Lauriano’s guilt. After five hours of deliberation the dozen jurors told Justice Troadio Gonzales that they were deadlocked. The hung jury means that Lauriano will go back to prison and await a full retrial. Prosecutor Kamar Henry relied on incriminating statements allegedly made by Lauriano to police. Defence Attorney Carlo Mason, however, claimed that Lauriano was coerced into confessing, allegedly by police holding a gun to his head. On the afternoon of January fifteenth 2004 it is alleged that the then eighteen year old Lauriano shot Broaster six times following an argument having to do with the colour of a head wrap worn by a young woman.