WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court says a man can be retried on murder charges despite a jury forewoman’s statement that they were unanimously against finding him guilty.
The high court on Thursday ruled Arkansas can retry Alex Blueford on murder charges in the death of 20-month-old Matthew McFadden Jr. Authorities say the child was beaten to death.
During deliberations, the jury forewoman said in court that the jury was unanimously against finding Blueford guilty on murder charges, but was deadlocked on manslaughter. The judge declared a mistrial, but Blueford, of Jacksonville, Ark., argued that double jeopardy attached to the murder charges because of the forewoman’s statement.
Chief Justice John Roberts said in a 6-3 ruling that since the judge declared a mistrial, there was no jury verdict and therefore no double jeopardy.