THE FIRST DEGREE MURDER TRIAL OF 36 YEAR OLD MORGAN SMITH ENDED IN A MISTRIAL WEDNESDAY AFTER A JUDGE RULED THE JURY HAD BEEN COMPROMISED. PUBLISHED REPORTS SAY THE TESTIMONY OF SMITH’S EX-BOYFRIEND DARYL SMITH WAS NOT CORROBORATED WITH THE DEFENSE EVEN THOUGH HE TESTIFIED ABOUT STATEMENTS MADE BY THE DEFENDANT. CIRCUIT JUDGE ROCHELLE CURLEY DECLARED THE MISTRIAL AND IT WILL HAVE TO BE REDONE AT A LATER DATE WITH A BRAND NEW JURY. MORGAN SMITH IS ACCUSED OF SHOOTING ANDREA STRANKO TO DEATH IN MARCH OF 2010. SHE REPORTEDLY SHOWED UP AT DARYL SMITH’S BIRTHDAY PARTY WITH A GUN. DARYL SMITH TRIED TO PROTECT STRANKO, BUT THE SHOT WENT THROUGH HIS SHOULDER AND FATALLY WOUNDED STRANKO. THE PROSECUTION WAS LOOKING FOR A LIFE SENTENCE IN THE TRIAL.
