Juror’s cell phone search in Black Lives Matter case causes mistrial
Mark Kimball, right, confers with his attorney Justin C. Shepherd on the first day of his trial in Hillsborough County Superior Court Northern District. Pat Grossmith
Published: 6/17/2021 7:25:46 PM
The trial of a city man accused of pointing a loaded handgun at Black Lives Matter protesters last year ended in a mistrial Tuesday after a juror, during deliberations, used a cellphone to do some research in the case.
The trial of Mark Kimball, 20, of Manchester, charged with three counts of criminal threatening, opened on Monday in Hillsborough County Superior Court Northern District. It ended Tuesday when a judge learned a juror had Googled definitions for “aggressor” and “provocation” during deliberations.
Defense claims pointing gun was justified
Mark Kimball, right, confers with his attorney Justin C. Shepherd on the first day of his trial in Hillsborough County Superior Court Northern District. Pat Grossmith / Manchester Ink Link
Published: 6/15/2021 5:51:23 PM
Pointing a loaded gun at protesters is clearly a case of criminal threatening, a prosecutor told a Hillsborough County Superior Court North jury, while a defense attorney maintained pointing a gun at a dozen people coming at you is a case of self-defense.
The statements were made Monday in day one of the trial of Mark Kimball, 20, of Manchester, charged with three counts of criminal threatening for pointing a loaded 9 mm handgun at a crowd and at two individuals, Matthew Lawrence, 37, and Forrest Rapier, 32, during the May 20, 2020, Black Lives Matter protest. About 50 to 100 people had gathered outside the Manchester police station that day, after a peaceful downtown march, to talk with police about what changes could b