A mistrial has been declared in a Seneca County double murder trial.
Seneca County Court Judge Barry Porsch on Wednesday declared the mistrial because of a procedural error. The Finger Lakes Times reports the mistrial was declared because the court clerk failed to administer the oath to the second jury panel before the preliminary questioning of a juror by a judge or attorney.
Wayne Ellison Jr. of Waterloo and Christopher Kesterson of Phelps are charged with murder for the death of William Waugh of Texas. Waugh was shot after a bar fight in Waterloo in September 2022. He was visiting the area for a wedding when he was murdered.
It’s the second delay for the trial, in August the trial was postponed because Seneca County District Attorney Mark Sinkiewicz turned over additional evidence just before the trial was set to begin.
The trial has now been rescheduled to begin on April 15th.
