A Newport News judge declared a mistrial after jurors could not unanimously agree on whether to find Demari Antonio Batten guilty of second-degree murder or manslaughter or find him not guilty. Batten was accused to fatally shooting 17-year-old Justice Michael Dunham after a Menchville High School basketball game.
Text messages introduced at a murder trial in Newport News Circuit Court this week show a group of students was mad at Demari Batten about an Instagram post he made, which they interpreted as mocking of their gang. Batten is charged with second-degree murder in the Dec. 14 shooting of Justice Dunham.