In a murder mystery that spans over 20 years and has the University of Miami football program at the heart of it all, we still don’t have answers.
Former Miami football player Rashaun Jones, accused of killing teammate Bryan Pata in 2006, saw his murder trial end in a mistrial on Monday.
“A judge declared a mistrial Monday in the legal case against former Miami football player Rashaun Jones, who was accused of killing ex-teammate Bryan Pata in 2006,” CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford wrote. “Jones was arrested in August 2021 and charged with first-degree murder after he was accused of shooting Pata ‘execution style’ … Six jurors were unable to come to a unanimous conclusion after six hours of deliberations following a three-week trial, the newspaper reported. Jurors remain undecided on Jones, 40, as the culprit behind the murder of Pata, who was slain on Nov. 7, 2006, outside his home in Miami-Dade County, Florida.”
Jones wasn’t arrested until 2021, when new eyewitness testimony from a former Miami professor who lived next to Pata came to light.
The jury began deliberations on Thursday in Dade County.
From NBC News: “Pata’s mother was visibly upset and put her hands over her face after hearing the mistrial declared. Prosecutors said the state intends to retry the case and Judge Miranda told attorneys to look at their calendars so she can set a new trial date on Tuesday.”
Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Cristina Miranda announced the mistrial, prosecutors immediately said they intended to try the case again and both sides were told a new trial date would be set on Tuesday.
Jones has denied killing Pata since he was arrested and turned down a plea deal which would have given him a 15-year prison sentence. He will once again face a sentence of life without the possibility of parole if convicted.
Alleged Motive: Jealousy Over Pata’s Football Success
According to prosecutors, Jones’ motive stemmed from jealousy over the success of Pata, a defensive lineman and Miami native who was quickly becoming an NFL prospect. Jones, a wide receiver, was suspended for a third failed drug test for marijuana on the day of Pata’s murder. Pata was also
Jones had long been suspected of Pata’s murder and has a criminal history that includes several convictions for criminal traffic and drug-related crimes since Pata’s killing.
“What happened 12 years ago, happened 12 years ago,” Jones told ESPN’s Paula Lavigne in 2019. “It’s got nothing to do with me. … I didn’t do it.”
The eyewitness wasn’t contacted by police until June 2007 — Pata was killed in 2006 — and described someone he saw running away from Pata’s apartment immediately after the shooting. The police sketch resembled Jones, and when the eyewitness was finally asked to identify Jones in a lineup in 2020, he picked out Jones.
Without physical evidence, the prosecuting team had to make a circumstantial case against Jones. The defense team leaned heavily on that lack of physical evidence and also pointed to police feeling pressure to make an arrest after Pata’s family went public with a plea for help solving his case in 2017.
Shocking Outcome in Trial of Ex-Miami Player Accused of Killing Teammate