Superior Court Judge Barbara Bailey Jongbloed dismissed the jury in the murder trial of Miguel A. “Mikey” Vega Friday and declared a mistrial after the panel announced it was unable to reach a unanimous verdict.

Vega, 31, of New London, was charged with forcing his way into an apartment at 53 Prest St., New London, with an unidentified accomplice on March 3, 2010, and opening fire with a gun. Rahmel Perry, 21, died of gunshot wounds and his friend, Michael Ellis Jr., suffered life-threatening injuries.

The jury’s inability to return a verdict after about four days of deliberation upset Perry’s mother, Viola Cook, and other relatives who had watched the trial. Some of them walked out of the courtroom angrily upon hearing there would be no resolution of the case.

Vega’s family, who had become hopeful as deliberations continued that he would be acquitted, also were dissatisfied with the result. He will remain incarcerated while the attorneys attempt to resolve the case or schedule another trial.

State’s Attorney Michael L. Regan said he would retry the case if necessary. While he had called several eyewitnesses who identified Vega as the man who came into the apartment and started shooting, defense attorney John E. Franckling had emphasized ballistic results that indicated there were two shooters in the apartment.

“The jury was extremely attentive and worked tirelessly, but there was clearly significant reasonable doubt,” Franckling said.

The panel of seven women and five men deliberated for about three hours last Friday. They did not sit on Monday because one member failed to show up. They returned Tuesday, listened to the reading back of witness testimony and deliberated for about six hours before sending out a note saying members could not reach a unanimous verdict.

They returned Wednesday and deliberated all day after Jongbloed instructed them to try to reach a verdict and to consider her previous instructions. Court was closed on Thursday for Lincoln’s Birthday, a state holiday. They resumed deliberations Friday morning, asked to hear testimony of two additional witnesses read back and sent a note out at 4:22 p.m. saying they could not agree on a verdict.

In opting for a trial, Vega had rejected an offer from the state to plead guilty in exchange for a 35-year prison sentence. He was charged with murder, felony murder, home invasion, home invasion with a deadly weapon, first-degree burglary, attempted murder, attempted first-degree assault with a firearm and carrying a pistol without a permit.

According to testimony at the trial, Vega had been involved in a brawl with Perry, Ellis and others at The Galley bar in downtown New London earlier that evening. Perry and his friends had returned to the Prest Street apartment when, witnesses said, Vega and another man kicked down the back door and entered the apartment. Witnesses said Vega, who was concealing his face with a bandana, pulled it down, announced it was not “a game,” and started shooting. One witness said Perry was on the living room couch and that she dove on top of him when the shooting began. She said Vega fired over her at Perry. The friends rushed Perry to Lawrence + Memorial, but he could not be revived and was pronounced dead.

Though Vega’s alleged accomplice has never been charged, Regan said the investigation is continuing.

k.florin@theday.com

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