A new judge will preside over the retrial of a federal lawsuit against a Florida sheriff's deputy in the fatal shooting of an unarmed nurseryman. U.S. District Judge Daniel Hurley said in an order signed Monday that attorneys for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and the family of Seth Adams favor a summer retrial.
Jurors in March said they couldn't decide whether Sgt. Michael Custer was justified when he shot 24-year-old Adams in 2012.Custer testified that Adams cursed him and grabbed him by the throat before rummaging through his truck's cab as if searching for a weapon. He said he fired when Adams spun toward him.
The Palm Beach Post reports Hurley told attorneys to consult with Judge Donald Middlebrooks on the new trial date.