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Hung jury forces mistrial in second-degree murder trial
Zakk Lafferty of Behchokǫ̀ remains a free man after jury fails to reach unanimous verdict after three-days of deliberation
The jury in the second-degree murder trial of Zakk Lafferty was unable to reach a unanimous verdict, resulting in NWT Supreme Court Justice David Gates declaring a mistrial late Sunday.
Twenty-six-year-old Lafferty was charged after 17-year-old Deijean Drybones was stabbed to death at a drinking party in Behchokǫ̀ in August 2023.
Jury deliberations started Thursday afternoon, 10 days after they were selected.
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- Zakk Lafferty outside of court Tuesday. The Behchokǫ̀ resident is charged with second-degree murder. (James O’Connor/CKLB)
During the Crown’s outline of its case, at least one juror was in tears after hearing of Lafferty’s deathbed declaration in which he said Lafferty had stabbed him – likely wrongly blaming him for an earlier ambush attack.
The murder weapon was never recovered. The accused also did not have any of Drybones’ blood or other DNA on him at all.
The jury had the option of finding Lafferty guilty of second-degree murder, manslaughter, or neither charge.
Drybones died from a single stab wound to the chest early in the morning of August 4, 2023 after arriving at Stanton Territorial Hospital.
Witnesses testified they had been extremely intoxicated at the party and couldn’t clearly recall what happened.
The Crown must now decide if Lafferty may be retried.