FORT WORTH (WBAP/KLIF) – A Tarrant County judge declared a mistrial after the jury appeared deadlocked in the case of a Fort Worth police officer who shot a man armed with a barbecue fork.
Officer Courtney Johnson is accused of firing a shotgun at a man after receiving a call that someone was prowling around the neighborhood with a knife.
Prosecutors say the man put the fork down and got on one knee when the shot was fired. Johnson’s attorneys say the shot was fired on accident when he pumped it to encourage the man to follow his command.
Tarrant County District Attorney Sharen Wilson said in a statement, “The jury carefully considered this case and was unable to reach a unanimous verdict. We will consider the jury’s inability to reach a verdict and the evidence presented at trial to decide whether a retrial is justified.”
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