For the second time, the judge overseeing the trial of Jason Meade in the shooting death of Casey Goodson Jr. has declared a mistrial after the jury failed to reach a verdict. 

Earlier Friday, the judge had declared a mistrial and then set his mistrial declaration aside, directing the jury to continue deliberations. The jury then approached the judge, saying they were hung. The judge then declared another mistrial. 

Throughout deliberations, three jurors have been removed. There are no alternates left. 

"Never seen something like this happen before," said Sean Walton, Goodson family attorney. "Not behind the closed doors, not sure what’s happening, speaking for family."

Jury deliberations began Wednesday after more than two weeks of witness testimony. 

Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney G. Gary Tyack issued the following statement following the declaration of a mistrial.

"Our thoughts are with the Goodson family and the community today. A decision to retry the case will be made by the special prosecutors after they have reviewed their case."

The case is about an incident that occurred on Dec. 6, 2020, when Goodson, 23, a Black man, was returning home in the Clinton Estates neighborhood of north Columbus with sandwiches when he was confronted by Meade, according to police documents. The sheriff’s office claimed he was in the area serving a warrant, but the warrant didn’t have Goodson’s address. 

Meade, a 17-year veteran of the force, alleged Goodson reached for his gun. 

Meade maintained during his testimony that he feared for his life and the lives of others after Goodson waved a gun at him as the two drove past each other. He testified that he pursued Goodson in his unmarked vehicle and that Goodson aimed a gun at him again, right before the shooting occurred.

According to his family and prosecutors, Goodson was holding a sandwich bag in one hand and his keys in the other when he was fatally shot. They do not dispute that Goodson could have been carrying a gun and say he had a license to carry a firearm.

Meade, who is a pastor at a Baptist church, shot Goodson a total of six times, including five times in the back, as Goodson tried to enter his grandmother’s house, police have said. Goodson fell into his grandmother’s kitchen and his gun was found on the kitchen floor with the safety lock engaged, prosecutors said.

During the trial, state special prosecutors pulled a surprise witness, Christopher Corne, Tuesday morning. Corne testified that he saw Meade and another officer's pickup trucks and that he saw Goodson Jr. driving recklessly, dancing in his car but he did not see a gun.

Meade also testified in his own defense, sharing with the jury about his childhood, his military background and his recollection of what happened on the day he shot Goodson. When the defense asked Meade why he shot Goodson, he said that he saw a threat and got emotional when talking about his own son. 

The prosecution has pressed Meade about what happened that day, trying to see if he would contradict himself. They kept comparing his written testimony from when the shooting occurred that night to what he said in court Tuesday. It led to some heated moments between special prosecutor Gary Shroyer and Meade. 

Meade is facing two counts of murder and one count of reckless homicide. If convicted, he could get life in prison.