A mistrial has been declared in the case of a teenager accused of plotting to shoot up Rochester High School in Fulton County.
Jurors in the trial of John Schultz IV agreed on only one of the three counts he was facing. The other two were split 11-to-1. Prosecutors say it was one juror who would not budge on two of the charges — and because a unanimous verdict could not be reached a mistrial was declared.
Schultz is facing charges of conspiracy to commit murder, intimidation, and possession of methamphetamine.
“I anticipate it being retried,” said Fulton County Prosecutor Michael Marrs. “We’re not dismissing it that’s for damn sure. If you go down this road of making threats or doing anything and you cross the line to where it’s criminal were going to come after you and we don’t care who you are.”
Schultz is accused of planning with Donald Robin to shoot up Rochester High School and Caston High School. Robin is accused of inspiring Schultz to get in on the plot by watching Columbine documentaries and researching how to get guns from a pawn shop and making bombs.
Schultz’s attorneys say he’s innocent because they did not carry out any shooting, nor was there a written out plan.
“If they had written out a plan, then it’s a crime,” said Attorney Paul Namie. “That’s not going to the school, that’s not hurting anybody. it’s planning to hurt somebody but it’s not actually doing it. that would’ve been a crime. and if the police would’ve stopped them then, we believe that they would’ve had a better case in that situation.”
Neither Marrs nor Namie would indicate which charges were the charges that the lone juror would not agree to in jury deliberations. It;s not clear when the case will be brought back to court.