Jury hung in Widmer retrial

LEBANON, Ohio - After four days and over 30 hours of deliberations, the jury in the Ryan Widmer retrial was unable to reach a verdict.

The jury told the judge late Tuesday afternoon that they were deadlocked and could not reach a decision.

Judge Neal Bronson then declared a mistrial, thanked the jurors and told them they were free to go.

It was an emotional courtroom when the announcement was made.

"Disappointed obviously, I should be found not guilty," Widmer, 29, said as he left the courthouse.

Prosecutors said he killed his wife of four months, Sarah, 24, in their Hamilton Township home on Aug. 11, 2008. Ryan says he came upstairs and found his wife unresponsive in their bathtub.

A different jury found Ryan guilty in the drowning death of his wife in the first trial. They deliberated for 23 hours. The conviction, however, was later thrown out by Judge Bronson because of juror misconduct.

Now it's up to prosecutors to decide if they want to try the case a third time. Widmer's attorneys say in the coming days they will file paperwork asking the judge to step in and acquit Widmer since the jury could not come to a unanimous decision.

There is no time limit on how long the judge has to make a decision on that motion by the defense.

A not guilty verdict would have cleared Widmer. A guilty verdict would have landed him in prison for 15 years to life. If the judge does not acquit him and the current county prosecutor does not choose to try the case a third time, Widmer will live with the burden that any time in the future, prosecutors can decide to bring him back to court.

Defense attorneys and prosecutors were told by the judge that their gag order remains meaning they cannot talk about the case until it's determined what will happen next. However, jurors were told they are free to talk about the trial.

Sarah Widmer's family was not in the courtroom. A family friend tells 9 News no matter what the verdict was, it doesn't bring Sarah back.