CINCINNATI -- Jurors in the murder retrial of ex-police officer Ray Tensing said Friday that they're deadlocked after four full days of deliberation. Judge Leslie Ghiz sent the jury back to deliberate further after re-reading the jury instructions.
Jurors in Tensing's first trial told the judge they were hopelessly deadlocked and were sent back into deliberations two times before she declared a mistrial. The first jury deliberated for 25 hours; the present jury has already surpassed 25 hours of deliberation.
Tensing, a former University of Cincinnati police officer, is charged with murder and voluntary manslaughter in the 2015 shooting death of Sam DuBose, a black motorist. DuBose did not have a gun in his car. Tensing has claimed he shot DuBose in self-defense, alleging DuBose tried to speed off from the stop.
In his first trial, jurors were evenly split: Four jurors thought Tensing was guilty of murder, four thought he was guilty of voluntary manslaughter and four thought Tensing was not guilty, according to Prosecutor Joe Deters.
The prosecution filed a motion to add reckless homicide -- a lesser charge -- to the two-count indictment.
Jurors may have asked the judge questions throughout deliberations, but not in open court. Ghiz's court reporter said Ghiz sealed the records of any questions asked by jurors. They may be available after the conclusion of the trial.
"I think this is crazy that this has been going on so long. Ray Tensing needs to go to jail for murder," said one of Sam DuBose's daughters, Samantha Johnson, after 25 hours and four days of deliberations ended Thursday without a verdict.
DuBose's sister, Terina Allen, said jurors are "probably debating between charges" but she also expects a murder conviction.
"I think they're going to vote for murder, and that's what this (delay) means," Allen said. "But they want to seriously make sure they look at everything. It seems like they're working diligently through it," Allen said.
Tensing's family declined requests for comment.
WCPO will update this story.
For complete trial coverage, visit wcpo.com/TensingTrial.
