Judge declares mistrial in trial of ex-deputy’s husband

HOUSTON – A Texas judge has declared a mistrial in the trial of a former deputy’s husband charged in the death of a man he and his wife confronted outside a restaurant.

The Houston Chronicle reports District Judge Kelli Johnson declared the mistrial in Terry Thompson’s case Saturday after jurors deliberated more than 26 hours over three days.

Thompson and his wife, Chauna, were charged in the May 2017 death of 24-year-old John Hernandez. Chauna Thompson was a Harris County sheriff’s deputy at the time but was later fired. Her trial is scheduled for October.

Prosecutors this week told jurors Terry Thompson held Hernandez in a chokehold for up to 15 minutes. But Thompson’s attorney said his client was acting in self-defence and only trying to subdue a man who had attacked him.

Prosecutors have not yet announced whether they will re-try Thompson.