Mistrial Declared in Case of Christmas Day Slaying of Beloved Youth Coach

A judge declared a mistrial Thursday after a jury became deadlocked in the case of the murder by beloved local youth coach and civilian Sheriff’s department employee who was caught in gang crossfire outside his Pasadena home on Christmas Day 2012.

The jury deadlocked on charges that two reputed gang members shot and killed 49-year-old Victor McClinton. The jurors had deliberated for four days before telling the judge they were hopelessly deadlocked.

Prosecutors has argued that Larry Darnell Bishop Jr., 23, of Chino, and Jerron Donald Harris, 27, of Pasadena, murdered McClinton as he walked a friend to his car after a Christmas visit when McClinton was struck down by gunfire on Newport Avenue near Wyoming Street.

Bishop and Harris were each charged with murder with special circumstances of discharging a firearm from a moving vehicle and murder to benefit a criminal street gang, two counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling or vehicle and possession of a firearm by a felon.

The two defendants were also charged with one count each of attempted murder involving the man that prosecutors say was their intended target, who was wounded in a hand and ending up crashing his vehicle into a tree, and three related counts. That man, however, testified during a preliminary hearing that Bishop and Harris were not his assailants.

At the trial’s opening, prosecutor Amy Ashvanian had called Victor McClinton “an innocent man” who was struck by gunfire while outside his home saying goodbye to a friend who had delivered a Christmas gift.

Ashvanian called the shooting “a gang-related murder,” and said two houses in the neighborhood were struck by the gunfire.

Elena Saris, Bishop’s attorney, said there was no denying that a “very good man was killed” and that the killing was senseless and random. But she said she could not see evidence that says her client was in the car involved in the shooting when the incident happened.

Harris’ attorney, Richard Lasting, also disputed the prosecution’s contention that his client was involved in the crime.

The jury deadlocked 9-3 in favor of convicting Bishop of all charges, and 7-5 in favor of acquitting Harris, officials said.

Judge Curtis Rappe declared the mistrial. It is not yet known if Los Angeles County prosecutors will file papers for a second trial.