Mistrial for Carver County man who fatally shot a motorist after a fender bender
The trial of a Carver County man who fatally shot another man after a fender bender has ended in a mistrial.
Anthony Trifiletti, 25, was charged with second-degree murder in the death of Douglas Cornelius Lewis, 39.
The jury got the case Thursday afternoon and concluded deliberations at 7 p.m. Friday after declaring it was hung, said Dennis Gerhardstein, spokesman for the Ramsey County Attorney's Office.
Trifiletti remains in custody with bail conditions unchanged. Gerhardstein said Monday that his office will decide in the coming days whether to pursue a new trial.
Lewis' family and friends previously told the Star Tribune that they believed that Trifiletti, who is white, perceived Lewis, who was Black, as a threat because of his race.
"I pray that we get justice. I have to trust the system," Lewis' sister, Valerie Lewis, said Monday.
The May 1 shooting happened after a fender bender crash between the two in St. Paul. Trifiletti initially fled the scene after shooting Lewis multiple times, but returned and surrendered to police when his father advised him to, according to court documents. He said he was acting in self-defense when he shot Lewis. Police did not find any weapons on Lewis at the scene.
Alex Chhith • 612-673-4759
