Judge Ronna Beck declared a mistrial Thursday in the case against Joshua Andrews, after the jury notified the court three times that they were deadlocked.
Andrews is charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection with the 2010 shooting death of 17-year-old Darond Alonte Lucas.
The jury deliberated for more than a week, first notifying Judge Beck that they could not come to a unanimous verdict just two days after closing arguments in the case.
A retrial has been scheduled for March 31, 2014.
Police found Lucas June 5, 2010 at approximately 2:55 a.m. on the 1600 block of W Street Southeast suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was transported to the Chief Medical Examiner where he was pronounced dead, shot in the head and neck as well as 11 times in the torso. About 10 months later Andrews was arrested and charged with first-degree murder while armed in Lucas’ death.
During trial prosecutors alleged that Andrews and another man shot and killed Lucas outside 1644 W Street Southeast after a beef with Lucas became more serious. Defense attorneys argued that the case against Andrews was based on circumstantial evidence, with no eyewitnesses and no weapons.
A status hearing for the case is scheduled for Feb. 7, 2014.
