Oxford, Miss. – A mistrial was declared on Wednesday in the high-profile case against Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington Jr., who was accused of the 2022 murder of Jimmie “Jay” Lee, a gay University of Mississippi student and an active member of the LGBTQ+ community. This decision came after jurors could not reach a consensus following extensive deliberations, lasting over nine and a half hours.
Lee, who was known for his vibrant personality and creative expressions in fashion and makeup, notably through drag shows in Oxford, disappeared under mysterious circumstances on July 8, 2022. Despite his body never being recovered, legal proceedings had moved forward, declaring Lee deceased.
24-year-old Herrington, also a University of Mississippi graduate, displayed minimal emotion when he left the courthouse, surrounded by his attorneys and family. He remains free on bond but still faces capital murder charges, defined under Mississippi law as murder committed alongside another felony—in this case, alleged kidnapping.
During the trial, prosecutors argued Herrington and Lee had a fatal encounter stemming from a sexual liaison that ended abruptly. According to prosecutors, Herrington, who was not openly gay, had used the prospect of another sexual encounter to lure Lee back to his apartment, where Lee was allegedly murdered.
The defense countered, questioning the lack of physical evidence directly confirming Lee’s death, noting that without a body, the prosecution’s case was less concrete. Herrington’s lawyer, Kevin Horan, argued that the text exchanges indicated Lee’s control over the situation, challenging the narrative that Herrington had engineered the meeting under false pretenses.
The jury, selected from a county approximately 250 miles south, underwent eight days of testimony that painted a chilling portrayal of the events. Police and investigators testified about obtaining warrants for Herrington’s electronic records, which included explicit messages between him and Lee, and chilling online searches by Herrington questioning the duration needed to strangle a person.
Further investigations revealed incongruities in Herrington’s account of the events leading up to Lee’s disappearance, supplemented by surveillance footage that captured Herrington buying duct tape the day Lee vanished and near the area where Lee’s car was later found abandoned.
The trial’s location, Oxford, the home base of the university both men attended, added layers of community interest and emotion to the proceedings. The courtroom atmosphere was tense, with Herrington’s family seated behind him, while Lee’s family, advocates, and friends clustered behind the prosecution, underscoring the divisive and tragic nature of the case.
The judge, Circuit Judge Kelly Luther, faced with a jury unable to break their deadlock despite multiple encouragements to do so, ultimately declared a mistrial. Plans for a new trial will be discussed between the judge and both parties’ attorneys, as this complex case continuing to loom over the community and the families involved.
Community support groups like Justice for Jay Lee have been vocal throughout the trial, emphasizing the need for closure and justice in this emotionally charged case. As the possibility of a retrial hangs in balance, questions about justice, evidence, and truth remain pivotal in a case that has captured the attention of both local and national observers.