Associated Press
WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) - A mistrial was declared in the case of a Wilmington man charged with trying to kill a police officer last year.
Jurors, who began deliberating Tuesday, said Thursday they were deadlocked on all three charges against Larry Harrison Sr.
Superior Court Judge Charles Henry declared a mistrial.
Harrison, who would have marked his one-year anniversary in jail Saturday, was released under the court’s pretrial release program later Thursday.
Harrison was on trial in New Hanover County charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, assault with a deadly weapon on a government official and possession of heroin.
A date has not been set for a retrial.
Harrison was charged after Officers Kenneth Reichard and J. Cina tried to ask him why he was parked suspiciously behind a church. The officers had been told to patrol churches that night, after seven had been broken into in as many days.
When the officers approached Harrison’s car, he followed the officers’ command to raise his hands, then dropped them and started the car.
Reichard fired a dozen shots into the car, wounding Harrison.
The issue at trial was whether Harrison had tried to run over the officer with the car when he slammed the gas pedal.
Prosecutor Ben David said he must have, or the officer wouldn’t have fired. Defense lawyer Terry Richardson said Harrison was just trying to get away from the unidentified person, who he thought was going to rob him.
An empty syringe found inside the car was determined to have contained heroin, and Harrison’s blood tests revealed the presence of the drug.