Mistrial declared in trial for murder of Chester councilman

WINNSBORO, S.C. (AP) – A mistrial has been declared in the murder trial of a man charged with killing a Chester city councilman.

Local media outlets report a Fairfield County jury deliberated seven hours over two days before sending a note to Circuit Judge Brian Gibbons on Saturday that they were deadlocked.

Deliberations began Friday after three days of testimony from 50 witnesses in the trial of 19-year-old Christopher Moore who is charged in the shooting death of Chester City Councilman Odell Williams in November of 2014.

Prosecutors allege Moore shot the 69-year-old Williams after the councilman followed him and four other gang members because he heard they planned a robbery. The defense argued Moore shot Williams in self-defense.

The trial was moved to Fairfield County because of pre-trial media coverage in Chester County.