A San Francisco jury deadlocked in the trial of a man who prosecutors allege fatally shot another man while attempting to rob him of a PlayStation 4 game console.
Ronnie Collins, 24, was charged with murder, attempted robbery and resisting arrest in the death of 22-year-old Ikenna Uwakah on Dec. 1, 2013.
San Francisco Superior Court Judge Rochelle East declared a mistrial Wednesday after the jury deadlocked 6-6 on all three counts.
Collins is alleged to have shot Uwakah near the Youngblood-Coleman Playground at Mendell Street and Galvez Avenue around 3:30 p.m. as Uwakah sat in his car with his girlfriend, Rachael Pecota. They met after Collins arranged over the social media app Instagram to buy a PS4 from Pecota.
Prosecutors argued the shooting constitutes first-degree murder because it occurred during an attempted robbery.
Collins has not denied shooting Uwakah, but defense attorneys argued during the trial that he was trying to buy a PlayStation, not attempting a robbery.
The defense attorneys described the shooting as a misunderstanding, saying Collins thought Uwakah was armed and acting suspiciously, and fired when he thought he saw the other man reach for a gun.
Both sides are expected to be back in court Thursday morning at 9 a.m. Prosecutors have not yet said whether they will seek a retrial.CrimeHomicidehung juryPlaystation murderSan Francisco Police Department
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