The second-degree murder trial of Israel Buckhalter ended in a mistrial Wednesday morning after the defense claimed it needed time to review crime scene photos it hadn’t seen.
Buckhalter, 39, is accused of the July 25, 2020, shooting death of Desi Shepherd, 32, on Springdale Drive in southeast Columbus. He was indicted for second-degree murder and two counts of shooting into dwellings in February 2021.
Buckhalter’s trial started Monday with Judge Jim Kitchens presiding, Assistant District Attorney Ben Lang representing the prosecution and Flowood-based attorney Todd Coker representing Buckhalter, according to circuit court records.
District Attorney Scott Colom told The Dispatch a glitch in a thumb drive kept the defense from having access to 40 or 50 crime scene photos.
He said the defense had about 100 photos from the crime scene via a thumb drive provided through discovery. The glitch kept the last batch from opening, Colom said, and the state was unaware of that until the case was being presented.
Buckhalter’s team needed time to review the photographs to see how they would impact the defense, Colom said, including whether an expert witness would be necessary.
Colom said the case will be retried in August.
“The state will be prepared to try in August and understands that out of an abundance of caution the court decided to make sure that if there’s a conviction, it doesn’t get reversed, and the defense has enough time to review the photographs,” Colom said.
Coker declined to comment when contacted by The Dispatch.
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