Arizona jury deadlocks in murder trial of ex-editor
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BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. -- A former firearms magazine editor's murder trial ended when a mistrial was declared after the jury couldn't reach a verdict.
The Mohave Daily News reported that a new trial is scheduled for Feb. 26 for Golden Valley resident Erick Venola.
Venola is charged with second-degree murder in the May shooting death of an unarmed neighbor, James Patrick O'Neill.
A Mohave County Superior Court judge declared the mistrial Wednesday after the jury deadlocked.
Venola is a former editor of "Guns & Ammo" magazine.
Prosecutor Rod Albright said during the trial that Venola and O'Neill were both extremely drunk and argued before the shooting.
Defense attorney Ron Gilleo argued that Venola shot O'Neill in self-defense because Venola believed O'Neill was going to get a gun to shoot him.
