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Judge declares mistrial in murder trial after witness shot

Posted June 30, 2016 7:00 am

The Associated Press

URBANA, Ill. (AP) - A Champaign County judge has declared a mistrial in a murder case after a witness for prosecutors was shot the night before proceedings were to begin.

Judge Tom Difanis declared the mistrial Wednesday 19-year-old Kyjuan Dorsey's murder trial because injured witness Demetrius Lane won't be able to testify this week and prosecutors don't have a way to introduce his statements in court.

The 19-year-old Lane was shot in the chest Monday night in Urbana while sitting in a vehicle. Police say they're looking for a suspect.

The (Champaign) News-Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/29hWRY2 ) Assistant State's Attorney Lindsey Clark told the judge that Lane was shot five times in the chest and wasn't able to physically speak to investigators after surgery.

Dorsey is accused in the accidental shooting death of 18-year-old Jeremy O'Neal.

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Information from: The News-Gazette, http://www.news-gazette.com

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