Mistrial declared in ball field slaying

A mistrial was declared Saturday after a jury could not reach a verdict in the trial of a teen accused of killing another teen at a Macon ball field.

Jedarrius Treonta Meadows Jr., 18, was being tried on charges of murder and robbery in the shooting death of Damian Bernard “Little Petey” Clayton, 16, in February 2014.

After closing arguments in the morning, the jury deliberated for more than three hours before declaring late in the afternoon that it could not reach a verdict.

Assistant District Attorney John Regan, the lead prosecutor, said the case will be tried again, but he didn’t know when that might happen.

“I appreciate all the hard work of the Bibb County jurors this week,” Regan said after the mistrial was declared. “I look forward to retrying Jedarrius Meadows.”

Clayton was found shot five times at the Macon Little League ball field on Anthony Road, across from Henderson Stadium and he died later at a hospital.

Meadows testified that he wasn’t at the ball field when the shooting happened.

A sheriff’s investigator testified that the shooting was gang related and was an attempt to prevent Clayton from testifying against a gang member.

Two other teens have pleaded guilty to roles in the slaying.

Telegraph archives was used in this report.

To contact writer Wayne Crenshaw, call 256-9725.

This story was originally published September 12, 2015 at 8:54 PM with the headline "Mistrial declared in ball field slaying ."