MIAMI (AP) — Prosecutors intend to retry a man on murder charges after a Miami jury could not reach a verdict in a case involving a 400-pound victim the suspect claims was bullying him at work.
A mistrial was declared last week in the case of 69-year-old Manuel Acosta. Acosta is charged with first-degree murder in the May 2010 shooting death of 50-year-old Jose Valdez.
Acosta claimed self-defense, contending the 423-pound Valdez regularly beat and bullied him. Acosta is 5-foot-3 and weighs just 125 pounds. Acosta also testified that Valdez came at him with a pipe the day of the killing.
Prosecutors contended that Acosta hunted Valdez down and fired the fatal shots as the bigger man begged for his life.
A Sept. 8 status hearing is scheduled in the case.
