After four days of deliberations, a mistrial was declared Friday when the jury was unable to resolve an 8-4 deadlock leaning for acquittal in the case of Randall “Wes” Kerrick, a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer accused of killing an unarmed man in a struggle two years ago.

Within moments, about a dozen protesters laid down with hands behind their backs and blocked traffic outside the courthouse on Fourth Street, chanting “No justice, no peace.”

It will be up to prosecutors to decide whether to try the case again.

Superior Court Judge Robert Ervin polled jurors by a show of hands whether they felt they could reach a unanimous verdict. All raised their hands signaling they couldn’t.

Read the article “Mistrial Declared in Trial of White Officer Accused of Shooting Unarmed Black Man” on charlotteobserver.com.