Justice for Casey Goodson Jr. is delayed after judge declares mistrial
The trial against former Ohio sheriff’s deputy Jason Meade ended in a mistrial again on Friday (Feb. 16) after a jury failed to reach a unified verdict on his involvement in the death of a 23-year-old Black man.
Meade, who is white, was charged with murder and reckless homicide after he shot Casey Goodson Jr. six times, five of which struck him in the back, as the young man was entering his grandmother’s home in December 2020.
The deputy was working with the U.S. Marshals task force to locate a fugitive when the incident unfolded. He claimed to have observed Goodson waving a gun while driving and that it was eventually pointed at him. He allegedly followed the man home and ordered him to drop the weapon to no avail.
During the trial, which began on Jan. 29 and ended with closing arguments on Feb. 14, prosecutors argued that Goodson “did not pose a reasonable threat to [Meade] or anybody else at the moment when [Meade] pulled the trigger.” They further explained that he was non-compliant because he was listening to music with headphones and that he was holding a bag of sandwiches in one hand and opening the door with the other. Goodson was licensed to carry. His gun, with the safety engaged, and bloodied headphones were found inside the home.
Jurors reached their first mistrial early Friday (Feb. 16) morning, but it was quickly rescinded by Judge David Young, who then encouraged them to further deliberate. Hours later, they re-emerged, still deadlocked on one of the charges.
“There were jurors back there that obviously felt that Jason Meade was responsible for the unjustifiable killing of Casey Goodson. And that should make a statement,” said attorney Sean Walton, who represents the Goodson family.
Meade retired after 17 years on the force in 2021, the same year he was indicted on murder and homicide charges. During his testimony, he remained adamant that his actions were in response to the perceived threat of being shot.
His attorney, Mark Collins, said that perception was at the root of the case, not a decision on whether or not the former deputy pulled the trigger. A decision on how prosecutors and defense lawyers will proceed with the case is forthcoming.
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