Hours after a Jacksonville judge declared a mistrial on Michael Dunn's first-degree murder charge, Fourth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Angela Corey says she plans to retry him.
Dunn was charged with fatally shooting 17-year-old Jordan Davis, of Marietta, Ga., in 2012 after they got into an argument over music coming from the parked SUV occupied by Davis and three friends outside a Jacksonville convenience store. Dunn, who is white, had described the music to his fiancee as "thug music."
Crowds outside the courthouse erupted upon hearing the verdict.
"Based on the jury's inability to reach a verdict as to count one, I will declare that mistried," Duval County Circuit Court Judge Russell Healey said.
Jurors were unable to agree whether Dunn committed murder or acted in self-defense when he shot the teen. The jury did return guilty verdicts on three counts of attempted murder and one count of shooting into a car.
Dunn showed no emotion as the verdicts were read.
Davis' parents each left the courtroom in tears and spoke following the verdict.
"It's sad for Mr. Dunn that he will live the rest of his life in that sense of torment," said Lucia McBath, Davis' mother.
"I believe we have stood strong in the eyes of not only Jacksonville, not only Florida, not only the nation, but the world is looking at all of us here in Jacksonville," said Ron Davis, the teen's father.
Dunn's attorney, Cory Strolla, said there was no winner in this case.
"There's going to be two sets of families that are going to be grieving because of what happened here," Strolla said.
Dunn claimed he acted in self-defense, testifying he thought he saw a firearm pointed at him from the SUV as Davis yelled insults at him and the argument escalated. No weapon was found in the SUV.
Dunn told jurors he feared for his life, perceiving "this was a clear and present danger." Dunn, who has a concealed weapons permit, fired 10 shots, hitting the vehicle nine times.
Prosecutors contended that Dunn opened fire because he felt disrespected by Davis. The teen made his friend turn the music back up after they initially turned it down at Dunn's request. Dunn was parked in the spot next to the SUV outside the convenience store.
"That defendant didn't shoot into a carful of kids to save his life. He shot into it to save his pride," Assistant State Attorney John Guy told the jury earlier in the week. "Jordan Davis didn't have a weapon, he had a big mouth."
The trial was the latest Florida case to raise questions about self-defense and race, coming six months after George Zimmerman was acquitted in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, about 125 miles south of Jacksonville. The Dunn trial was prosecuted by the same State Attorney's Office that handled the Zimmerman case.
The 12-person jury deliberated for more than 30 hours over four days.
Dunn will be sentenced March 24.
Martin's parents offer support for Davis' parents
MIAMI (AP) -- Trayvon Martin's parents have expressed their support for the parents of a 17-year-old fatally shot after an argument over loud music.
In a statement Saturday, Martin's parents said that no matter the verdict, Jordan Davis' parents won't ever see him again. Martin's parents said Davis' killing is "yet another reminder that in Florida, racial profiling and stereotypes'' may serve as the basis for illegitimate fear "and the shooting and killing of young teenagers.''
Michael Dunn is charged with first-degree murder for fatally shooting Davis outside a Jacksonville convenience store in 2012. Dunn claims he shot Davis in self-defense.
The trial is the latest Florida case to raise questions about self-defense and race and comes six months after George Zimmerman was acquitted of any crime for fatally shooting 17-year-old Martin.