Raul Valle, the Connecticut man who fatally stabbed James McGrath outside a house party when both were teenagers, was found not guilty of murder on Wednesday.
Jurors debated for more than 11 hours in the case and considered numerous potential charges against 20-year-old Valle, who was also charged with assault for wounding three other teens.
They eventually decided he was not guilty of murder, intentional manslaughter or assault, the Hartford Courant reported. The jury deadlocked on a charge of reckless manslaughter in McGrath’s death, meaning Valle could still face that charge in the future.
The jury’s verdict came after two different instances in which they claimed to be deadlocked on the murder charge. The judge sent them back for further debate both times.
Valle, then 16, and McGrath, then 17, were both at the scene of a house party in Shelton on May 14, 2022. The party ended with fights and eventually an out-of-control melee on a nearby street, according to police.
Valle never disputed that he fatally stabbed McGrath or wounded the other three victims, Ryan Heinz, Thomas Connery and Faison Teele. Instead, he claimed he acted in self-defense during the chaotic brawl.
Prosecutors argued McGrath was not involved in the fight, claiming Valle had murderous intent when he stabbed him to death. The four victims were stabbed a total of nine times.
Defense lawyers meanwhile said Valle was under attack when he pulled the knife and began swinging wildly.
“This is what self-defense looks like,” attorney Kevin Smith said during closing arguments. “It’s messy. It’s chaotic.”
Though he was 16 at the time of the stabbings, Valle was tried as an adult. Prior to the trial, Valle turned down a plea deal that came with a 40-year prison sentence. If convicted on the top charges, he could have faced 105 years behind bars.
