A Connecticut jury delivered a partial verdict Wednesday that acquitted a 20-year-old man of murder and intentional manslaughter charges in the fatal stabbing of a Fairfield Prep student during a 2022 house party.
Raul Valle became emotional in Superior Court in Milford as jurors announced their decision after two days of deliberations.
The panel found Valle not guilty of the most serious charges but remained deadlocked on lesser manslaughter and assault counts.
The case centers on the March 14, 2022, death of James McGrath, a 17-year-old lacrosse player at the college preparatory school.
McGrath died after being stabbed in the heart during what prosecutors described as a drunken teenage brawl at a Shelton house party.
McGrath was described as a popular student athlete with promising academic prospects.
The teenager’s death shocked the Fairfield Prep community and devastated his family, who have fought for justice in the case for more than two years.
Three additional teenagers sustained stab wounds that night and required emergency medical treatment.
The violent incident involved approximately 25 teens, according to police reports obtained by investigators.
Valle was 16 years old and attending St. Joseph High School in Trumbull when the fatal altercation occurred.
Authorities charged him with killing McGrath and injuring three Shelton High School students during the melee.
The defendant’s age at the time of the incident added complexity to the legal proceedings.
Valle was charged as an adult despite being a minor when the stabbing occurred.
The injured students were identified as Ryan Heinz, Faison Teele and Thomas Connery. Prosecutors alleged Valle inflicted multiple stab wounds on each victim during the chaotic fight.
According to testimony, Valle stabbed McGrath in the heart and struck Heinz three times, puncturing his lung.
Connery received four stab wounds to his leg, while Teele sustained one wound to his arm.
Witnesses reported to police that Valle brandished what they described as a “switchblade kind of knife” before the fight began.
Police reports indicated that Valle allegedly instigated the confrontation that led to the deadly clash.
During the three-week trial, Valle testified in his own defense, breaking down in tears as he described the incident.
He claimed he swung the blade in all directions during the skirmish but never intended to kill anyone, per New York Post reporting.
Valle told the court he briefly lost consciousness during the deadly fight. Defense attorneys argued their client acted in self-defense during the violent confrontation, claiming he was overwhelmed by the situation.
The weapon used in the attack was reportedly given to Valle by a friend before the altercation began.
Defense lawyers emphasized their client’s emotional state and lack of premeditation in their arguments to the jury.
The defendant had previously rejected a plea deal that would have sentenced him to 40 years in prison.
If convicted on all charges, Valle faced up to 105 years behind bars, effectively a life sentence for the young man.
The jury also acquitted Valle of first-degree and second-degree reckless assault charges related to the other stabbings that occurred during the party.
McGrath’s father, Kevin, expressed shock at the verdict outcome.
“I’m shocked right now at the verdict,” he told CT Insider, adding he would have accepted a manslaughter conviction instead of murder.
“I’m just in shock that an innocent young man with a brilliant potential is not with us anymore, and the person that took his life is right now free tonight. I was not ready for not guilty,” Kevin McGrath stated.
The McGrath family’s attorney, Michael Rosnick, indicated they plan to continue pursuing justice in the case.
“We will still be pursuing justice to hold anyone that bears any responsibility that led to the chain of events that night, it’s our job to hold them responsible,” Rosnick said, per the Post.
“That will come with time, and we’re confident that we’ll get there,” the attorney added, signaling the family’s determination to seek accountability for the teenager’s death.
The post Jury Acquits Teen of Murder in Fatal House Party Stabbing That Killed Prep School Student: ‘I’m Just in Shock’ appeared first on Resist the Mainstream.
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Author: Jordyn M.
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