Three days into the Ricky Saxton murder trial, a Warren County judge declared a mistrial late Wednesday afternoon.
“Matters have come to this court’s attention that make it impossible to continue this trial,” said Judge James Chaney. “This has only happened to me, in ten years, one other time. But sometimes it does happen. I thought we were going to be able to complete this trial, but we are not.”
The court had heard three days of testimony before the defense for Johnny Mack Brown successfully argued that it had not been provided with some of the evidence from the investigation leading to Brown being charged with Saxton’s murder. The defense said they did not have the investigative report prepared by Tommy Irvine, the former Yazoo County chief investigator. Irvine said that he has prepared those reports, and they were provided to the state.
Chaney said he intended to issue an order setting a new trial next week. The Saxton family was told the new trial could possibly start summer of 2019.
Brown will remain incarcerated, and the case will be retried with a new jury in Warren County.
“We will press on with our heads high,” said Stacey Milner, Saxton’s daughter. “God’s timing is perfect, and we trust Him completely.”
