A judge declared a mistrial in the case of Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington Jr., charged with the 2022 killing of Jimmie “Jay” Lee, a gay man prominent in the LGBTQ+ community at the University of Mississippi. The jury was unable to reach a verdict after over nine and a half hours of deliberation.
Although Lee’s body has never been found, a judge declared him dead. Herrington, 24, remains free on bond and is still charged with capital murder, which in Mississippi law is defined as a killing committed along with another felony, in this case, kidnapping. Prosecutors have stated they will not seek the death penalty, but Herrington faces life in prison if convicted.
