FWST: Judge declares mistrial in case of ex-firefighter who punched elderly TCU fan

BY MITCH MITCHELL mitchmitchell@star-telegram.com

FORT WORTH – After deliberating for two days, a jury reported Friday afternoon that it could not reach a verdict in the case of a former Fort Worth firefighter who was accused of punching an elderly Arlington man at a TCU spring football game last year.

State district Judge Mollee Westfall declared a mistrial in the case of Shea O’Neill, 43, who was charged with injury to the elderly, a first-degree felony punishable by a maximum life prison sentence.

“They tell me they are not going to re-try it again,” said Jim Shaw, who represented O’Neill in the case.