It is back to the beginning in the case against a former University of Miami football player charged with killing a star teammate in 2006.
After a mistrial was declared Monday, a hearing was held Tuesday morning where both the defense and the prosecution decided they need at least another day to determine when they will be available for a retrial of Rashaun Jones, so that decision for a retrial date was pushed to Wednesday morning.
Jones’ legal counsel has filed a motion to have their client’s bond reduced from $850,000 to $50,000, so he can spend the next couple of months before his retrial at home.
“I mean, you know, he thought he was going to go home yesterday, so I think he needs to get out,” said Jones’ attorney. “He’s been held on an $850,000 bond, that he’s never been able to afford, for the last four and a half years or so.”
The former Miami Hurricanes football player stands accused of killing his teammate Bryan Pata nearly two decades ago.
The six-person jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision following a little more than a day of deliberation, leading Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Cristina Miranda to declare a mistrial.
As the judge declared the mistrial, cries from Pata’s family echoed outside the courtroom.
“It’s heartbreaking for my mom. Everybody to go through this all over again; it’s like peeling back the scab of a deep wound,” said Pata’s brother Edwin.
This halt on the pursuit of justice came after weeks of testimony during which prosecutors argued Jones was jealous of Pata’s football career and motivated by years of bad blood to kill.
“We got to see and hear more details, which even gave her more confirmation who’s responsible for this and why,” said Edwin.
Pata was just 22 when he was shot to death outside his Kendall home after practice on Nov. 7, 2006.
“It’s almost been 20 years. To still see that same support, that tells you all you need to know about who Bryan was and the impact that he had on people,” said Edwin.
The case ran cold for 15 years, until Jones was arrested in 2021.
Jones has spent the last five years behind bars. He rejected a plea deal and maintains his innocence.
His attorney argued that the evidence was largely circumstantial.
“Mr. Jones continues to be presumed innocent, and we will be back to fight this again at the next trial,” said Jones’ attorney, Sara Álvarez.
The prosecution and defense are set to meet again Wednesday at 11 a.m. to set that retrial date.
Jones’ attorney said it looks like it will happen in May. She also said that they have set up a GoFundMe to help Jones raise money to pay for his bond.