Murder Trial Ends In Hung Jury

The trial of Ryan Wright, the New London man charged with murder in the shooting death of Jamel Campbell at a Groton hotel, ended with a hung jury this afternoon.

Wright, 32, was accused of killing Campbell at the Ramada Inn in Groton on December 9, 2008.

The jury deliberated for five days, returning a verdict of guilty on May 25 to the charge of conspiracy to commit murder, then taking a recess until today to try to reach a verdict on the murder charge. But the panel said it was deadlocked and New London Superior Court Judge Stuart M. Schimelman declared a hung jury.

“I was disappointed with the outcome, but the jury also worked very hard on this case,” said Sebastian DeSantis, Wright’s defense lawyer.

DeSantis said prosecutors will now have to decide if they want to retry the case, which he considers likely.

Senior Assistant State's Attorney Paul Narducci, who tried the case for the state, was not present in the courtroom and the lawyer standing in on his behalf could not be immediately reached for comment.

Wright, who turned down a plea agreement that would have netted him 37 years in prison, faces a possible sentence of 20 years for conspiracy to commit murder. The murder charge would have carried sentence of up to 60 years.

Wright is scheduled to appear next in court on June 15, with sentencing scheduled for July 15.

His co-defendant, Meagan Foley, 27, the former bank teller from New London accused of helping lure Campbell to the hotel the night of the murder, is awaiting trial.  A date has not been set.

During closing arguments, Narducci gave this account of the events leading to the murder: Campbell was upset when he heard his girlfriend had slept with Wright, and he retaliated by stealing Wright’s Mercedes. Wright then became angry over his car being stolen, and decided to take revenge by killing Campbell, Narducci said.

Narducci laid the groundwork of the case by showing the jury how Wright and Foley hatched a plan via text messages to lure Campbell to the Groton hotel and shoot him.

In Wright’s defense, DeSantis said Wright had an alibi witness who said he was with him at the time police believe the shooting occurred.

DeSantis also said no murder weapon was found, and Wright’s hands were not tested for gunshot residue.