Jury cannot reach verdict on Telford murder so retrial is set
The jury in the case of two friends from Telford accused of murdering a man outside a block of flats were today discharged after failing to reach a verdict.
Jason Noto and Robert Jones are accused of attacking Ismaaeel Rehman outside Noto's flat in Powis Place, Dawley Bank, in July 2009.
Mr Rehman's injuries are believed to have triggered epilepsy and he died 18 months later following a seizure at his father's home.
The case will be back before Stafford Crown Court in 10 days time when a new trial date will be set.
The jurors had been told they did not have enough concrete medical evidence to convict the 24-year-old friends.
In their closing speeches at Stafford Crown Court, QCs Mr Stephen Linehan and Ms Rachel Brand accepted their clients Jason Noto and Robert Jones had attacked the victim, Ismaaeel Rehman, 24, of Dudley.
But Ms Brand told the court it was impossible to say who or what had caused the serious head injuries to Mr Rehman
But Ms Brand, for Jones, said: "One possibility is that the serious injuries to the left-hand side of Mr Rehman's head were caused by a baseball bat swung by Mr Jones, of course."
Noto, of Powis Place, Dawley Bank, and Jones, of Webb Crescent, Dawley, deny murder.
Both men claim they were acting in self-defence.
