A judge declared a mistrial today after a Sacramento Superior Court jury deadlocked in the murder trial of an alleged "Sacramaniac" gang member accused of murder in the shotgun shooting deaths of two people last year in Foothill Farms.
Judge Patrick Marlette dismissed the jury after it failed to reach a verdict on its sixth day of deliberations in the case against Thomas Michael Meece, 36.
Jurors said they split 8-4 in favor of convicting Meece, a four-time felon accused in the Feb. 5, 2008, slayings of Albert L. Parson, 43, and Amber L. Halvorson, 40.
Deputy District Attorney Donell Slivka said prosecutors will retry Meece.
Authorities said the two victims were gunned down by Allan Winton Eisman, 31. Eisman hanged himself in the Sacramento County downtown jail on March 27, 2008, sheriff's officials said.
Meece was tried on the theory that he aided and abetted Eisman. Prosecutors said Meece knew Eisman wanted to kill Parson in the disputed belief that the victim had raped an ex-girlfriend of Eisman's. They said Meece took no action to stop the slayings and that he also assisted Eisman in setting up Parson and Halvorson by providing them with methamphetamine and having them do up the drugs in his bedroom, where Eisman shot them.
Defense attorney Donald Masuda argued that Meece did not know that Eisman intended to kill Parson.
The bodies of Parson and Halvorsen were discovered in a burning truck about two miles from the site of the shooting.
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