Brothers acquitted for Interstate 4 murder of 17-year-old
TAMPA, Fla. - The trial of two brothers facing murder charges in the death of a teenager has ended with a surprising development.
Thursday afternoon, a Tampa judge acquitted Jaris and Jarkese Youngblood in the murder of 17-year-old Ta' Zion Levison.
PREVIOUS: Brothers on trial for Interstate 4 murder of teen
Last August, someone opened fire on Interstate 4 near Plant City, killing the teenager while he was riding in a Nissan sedan.
The brothers were charged with the murder, but the defense argued there was a lack of evidence to hand the case to the jury. The judge agreed and granted a judgement of acquittal.
The Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office says two key witnesses refused to cooperate right before they were set to testify, hurting the state's case.
"This spotlights the challenges our prosecutors face when witnesses won’t cooperate or are too afraid to come forward, it blocks us from keeping the public safe and delivering justice for victims," wrote spokesman Grayson Kamm. "This is why we need to build strong bonds between law enforcement and our community; it’s not just a slogan—it has a real impact on public safety."