Late Thursday night, mistrial was declared in the trial of a former Escambia Sheriff’s Deputy accused of beating a teenager. The jury in the trial of Christian Coad could not reach a verdict. The judge had no choice but to declare the mistrial. The case will be retried in late September.
A video from Coad’s cruiser showed that on April 5 Deputy Coad slapping Senario Carter in the head several times after Carter had dropped to the ground with his arms spread. Coad was fired and later charged with misdemeanor battery.
Coad’s attorney, Roy Kinsey (husband of Judge Pat Kinsey), argued that his client acted in a reasonable manner to defend himself.