TAMPA, Fla., (WFLA) — The case of a person on trial for homicide after a fentanyl dying in 2023 resulted in a hung jury.
Altwain Carlisle’s case was declared a mistrial on Wednesday.
The sufferer’s mom tells 8 On Your Facet that being in that courtroom was emotional and really demanding for her and her total household. She mentioned after the mistrial was declared, she booked an earlier flight house.
Tiffany Thompson flew from Michigan to Tampa to combat for justice for her son, Dhane Hogan, who was 23 on the time of his dying.
“We needed to endure the entire trial, going by the entire health worker testimony, pictures, particulars, and now we’ve got to begin over and do it once more. It is simply by no means ending,” Thompson mentioned.
She mentioned the hung jury got here down to 1 single juror.
“As his mom, I knew this might not be straightforward, however I used to be ready to return down right here and discover some kind of decision and now, we simply have to begin from scratch,” she mentioned.
Her son, Dhane, was discovered lifeless in his Tampa house in 2023 after detectives mentioned he unknowingly took fentanyl after a drug deal.
“Now, he is only a reminiscence due to one man’s selections. You recognize, he did not simply hand him fentanyl and kill him, he handed all of us destruction and ache,” Thompson mentioned.
Along with the homicide costs on this case, Altwain Carlisle faces a separate trial for trafficking fentanyl.
“The detectives took my son’s cellphone after they discovered him lifeless and did a managed purchase they usually busted him, that is how we’ve got the trafficking costs,” Thompson mentioned.
Carlise plead not responsible to the trafficking and homicide costs.
Now, the decide might want to set one other date for the mistrial and Thompson mentioned she is going to present up each time for her little one.
“He is my son and if I’ve to endure this ache once more to make sure that he has justice and shield folks sooner or later from dying, that is what I’ll do,” she mentioned.
Carlisle’s lawyer, Alex R. Stavrou, despatched us a press release concerning the jury verdict.
The court docket declared a mistrial within the case regarding the tragic dying of Dhane Hogan, after the jury was unable to succeed in a unanimous verdict.
From the start, I and Ms. Tatum Pope have maintained that this case raised severe questions on the reason for dying, the investigative course of, and the reliability of the forensic conclusions introduced by the State. The jury’s lack of ability to agree displays affordable doubt that was obvious all through this complete trial — together with the absence of any clear proof linking any particular act of Mr. Carlisle to Mr. Hogan’s dying.
Our function because the protection is to not place blame, however to make sure that each truth is examined, each lead adopted, and that our shopper receives the complete safety of due course of. The jury’s lack of ability to succeed in a unanimous verdict underscores the want for higher readability and completeness within the investigative course of — particularly when lives and liberty are at stake. Mr. Carlisle and I respect the jury’s time and considerate deliberation. Their division confirms what we’ve got argued from the outset: that this case just isn’t as clear-cut because it was portrayed.
Mr. Hogan’s dying is undeniably tragic, and our sympathies stay together with his household. However justice additionally requires a good trial, an neutral evaluate of the proof, and safety of the constitutional rights of the accused. We’re ready to proceed defending towards any additional proceedings and can problem any try to retry this case with out stronger proof and a whole investigation. Mr. Carlise has at all times maintained his innocence, and I’ll proceed to combat for a similar.
We urge the general public to withhold judgment and keep in mind that a mistrial just isn’t a conviction, nor a press release of guilt. It’s a reflection of a system designed to guard the presumption of innocence when doubt exists — because it clearly did right here.
ALEX R. STAVROU, ESQUIRE
Carlisle’s trial on the drug trafficking cost will start in early September.
