The retrial of Mashkhal Ibrahim for the hit-and-run case of former JMU student Jared Antle ended in mistrial Friday after almost seven hours of deliberation by the jury. Antleâs parents sat front row, heads bowed, as Judge T.J. Wilson IV announced the mistrial. Ibrahim had no family in the room due to a court ruling limiting the number of attendees.
Aaron Cook, Ibrahimâs defense attorney, said even without a verdict of not guilty for Ibrahim, another mistrial is also disappointing, as it means more time involved and continued uncertainty for both Ibrahimâs and Antleâs families.
The second day of the retrial against Mashkhal Ibrahim, for the alleged hit-and-run of former JMU student Jared Antle, kicked off at roughly 9 a.m. this morning.Â
Ibrahim, 29, is being charged with felony hit-and-run charges and pled not guilty. Ibrahim allegedly hit Antle with a black Honda Pilot on Aug. 24, 2018, before fleeing the scene. The retrial began Wednesday morning after a mistrial in December 2019, when the original jury couldnât reach a verdict.Â
The day began when Judge Thomas J. Wilson IV pulled JMU President Jonathan Alger from the jury. He said this was due to Alger being named in local media, including The Breeze and the Daily News-Record.
The 2018 case against Mashkhal Ibrahim for the hit-and-run of former JMU student Jared Antle returned to court early Wednesday morning after it ended in mistrial a little over a year ago. Â
Ibrahim, 29, pled not guilty to felony hit-and-run charges for allegedly striking Antle with a black Honda Pilot in August 2018. The first trial, held in December 2019, was declared a mistrial after the jury couldnât reach a verdict on the case. The retrial began with jurors being chosen Wednesday at 8 a.m.
President Jonathan Alger was chosen out of the pool of random jury calls as one of the 14 jurors after being questioned by the prosecution and defense on prior knowledge and potential biases. Alger said his experience as a lawyer would help him be impartial.Â
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As the red light for jury trials in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County drags on, Chris Hottingerâs frustration grows.
Sheâs been waiting since the Aug. 5, 2019, crash that killed her daughter, Raven Morgan, 30, of Broadway, for the man accused of causing the wreck to face trial.
The trial has been postponed because of a statewide judicial emergency issued by the Supreme Court of Virginia due to COVID-19 precautions.
âItâs gut-wrenching. I want closure,â said Hottinger, 52, of Bergton. âWhen you know the date of the trial is approaching and then they reschedule it, you get that feeling of âHere we go again.â Every time we go back to court, it brings that night of horror up.â