Trial for man accused of assaulting man who died ends in hung jury

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The trial for a Jefferson City man who was accused of assaulting a man who later died in 2023 ended in a hung jury, according to Cole County Prosecutor Locke Thompson.

Jeremy Alexander, 24, was charged in the case with first-degree assault. He was also previously charged with second-degree felony murder, but that charge was dropped well before the trial began. He is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond.

Thompson said in an email to ABC 17 News that the jury deliberated for a number of hours on Tuesday before it hung late that same evening. A date for a new trial has not been scheduled.

Court documents from previous reporting say a witness was told by Alexander that he assaulted a man on June 16, 2023, in front of Missouri River Regional Library on Adams Street in Jefferson City. He allegedly told the victim that he hoped he was not responsible for the victim’s death.

According to the statement, first responders were called to the library around 1:31 a.m. June 16, 2023, after a man – who was identified as the victim – was found slumped over and was bleeding from his head. Police at the time were not able to determine if an assault occurred, the statement says.

The victim was brought to an area hospital and died on Oct. 29, 2023. The witness spoke with police on Nov. 2, 2023, previous reporting indicates. Other witnesses described the assault to police and a pastor allegedly told police that Alexander admitted to assaulting the victim, previous reporting says.