How 80-year-old crosswording juror caused a mistrial in Florida Home depot murder case

A Florida judge has granted the defence team’s question for a mistrial successful the Home Depot execution lawsuit due to the fact that of an "unhinged juror." 

After much than 5 hours of deliberations earlier this week, an Escambia County justice called a mistrial for Shelia Agee, who is accused of helping her lad termination the parent of his kid astatine a Pensacola Home Depot store past year. 

"A peculiar juror has not treated this lawsuit during the grounds with the seriousness that they should have, that has seemingly continued during deliberations," Judge Coleman Robinson told WKRG.

The problems reportedly began erstwhile juror Sallie Sue Smith was caught with a crossword puzzle during testimony, according to WEAR News 3.

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Keith Agee, 20, and his mother, Sheila, were allegedly texting astir his plans to termination Brooklyn Sims astatine The Home Depot successful Pensacola. (Escambia County Sheriff's Office)

On Tuesday, Smith was recovered moving connected a crossword puzzle during witnesser testimony. The adjacent day, she was recovered utilizing different crossword puzzle during deliberation.

Smith told WEAR News that the puzzle "helped her focus," and denied immoderate threatening behavior successful the assemblage room.

"It was me," Smith told WEAR News. "Well, I didn’t cognize it was a atrocious thing. I bash that erstwhile I ore and I’m listening. You couldn’t spot the seat oregon witnesser basal precise good origin it was dark. But I could perceive it... That’s conscionable the mode I do. I conscionable bash that and I had nary thought and past erstwhile they told maine I wasn't expected to bash it, I stopped. And then, today, erstwhile I went into the assemblage room, I had different crossword puzzle."

Other jurors besides aboriginal shared concerns astir their information during deliberations with Judge Robinson. 

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Sheila Agee, 50, is facing charges successful the shooting decease of 18-year-old Brooklyn Sims aft allegedly helping her lad program the attack. (Washington County Jail)

"It is conscionable a azygous portion of insubstantial with a crossword puzzle printed connected 1 broadside and not definite what's connected the different side," said Robinson. "...I cannot ever callback a juror doing a crossword puzzle during a trial."

Judge Robinson aboriginal questioned each juror, calling them in, 1 by one, and asked if they felt harmless to proceed aft concerns were relayed to him by security. 

Nearly 20 witnesses took the stand, portion it took prosecutors little than 2 days to remainder their lawsuit against Agee. However, owed to the jury's issues, the proceedings was "hindered beyond repair." 

Smith didn't accidental what her decision was connected a verdict, but denied immoderate threatening behaviour to WEAR News.

"We retired to the assemblage country and started to deliberate," Smith said. "It became evident to maine close distant that I was successful the number of 1 versus 11 different people... At first, it started retired reasonable. A batch of shouting, and I tin shout, too."

"I bash person a large voice, but I was being shouted down by a batch of people," Smith added.

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Keith Agee, 20, is charged with homicide and aggravated artillery successful the shooting decease of 18-year-old Brooklyn Sims. (Escambia County Jail)

Agee, 51, was charged with main to first-degree premeditated execution aft constabulary discovered substance messages allegedly showing her assistance program the shooting decease of the parent of her son's child, 18-year-old Brooklyn Sims, who was besides Sheila’s co-worker.

Her son, Keith Agee, 20, was arrested by the Escambia County Sheriff's Office successful transportation with the deadly Aug. 11, 2023 shooting of Sims.

"According to substance messages, it’s wide that Keith Agee’s mother, Sheila Agee, knew and participated successful the program to termination Brooklyn Sims. Additionally, substance messages betwixt parent and lad item the mother’s engagement successful helping find the victim," the ECSO antecedently wrote connected Facebook.

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The section released the alleged substance messages betwixt the parent and lad connected its Facebook page, claiming they took spot close earlier Sims was shot and killed.

"The execution itself is unbelievable, but to cognize the parent knew astir it and helped coordinate it is incomprehensible," Sheriff Chip Simmons said antecedently via Facebook.

The lawsuit is expected to beryllium backmost successful tribunal connected Feb. 5.

"Another assemblage volition person to travel backmost and perceive to the grounds successful beforehand of different assemblage wherever hopefully, those definite members volition travel communal sense, volition travel the law, volition dainty their chap jurors with decency and appropriateness. And volition scope a verdict, immoderate that whitethorn be, that is simply a just and conscionable verdict for some sides," Robinson said.

Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.