A mistrial has been declared after a jury was unable to reach a verdict in the trial for a man accused of fatally shooting a Weymouth Police Sergeant and an innocent bystander.
After jurors had a question this morning, Judge Beverly Cannone said their service was complete, and declared a mistrial.
Emanuel Lopes, 25, is charged with the murders of Sergeant Michael Chesna and 77-year-old Vera Adams in July of 2018.
Jury deliberation started two weeks ago, but had to re-start last Wednesday after a juror was dismissed due to a personal commitment. Deliberations were put on hold last Friday, with what Judge Cannone called a “sensitive” matter.
Jurors were individually brought into the courtroom. One juror was brought into the courtroom multiple times, and appeared distraught during a sidebar conference with the judge and attorneys. The full jury was not present during these sessions.
The jury was selected from Worcester County, and were brought by bus to the Dedham Courthouse each day.
In closing arguments, defense attorney Larry Tipton says Lopes has an extensive history of mental illness, and was in a state of “psychosis,” the day of the murders after an argument with his girlfriend at the time.
He asked jurors to find Lopes not guilty by reason of insanity.
Assistant District Attorney Greg Connor says the Commonwealth agrees that Lopes has a mental disease or defect, citing testimony from doctors. He says evidence shows Lopes acted deliberately, and intentionally took Chesna’s service weapon and shot him with it, shot at responding officers, and Vera Adams as she sat on her porch.
