CINCINNATI -- Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters isn’t second-guessing his decisions in the Ray Tensing trial.
After an emotional several weeks, 9 On Your Side’s Tanya O’Rourke had a one-on-one interview with Deters just an hour after Judge Megan Shanahan decided the trial would end in a mistrial.
“I am grateful for what the jury did in terms of the time and energy,” Deters said. “I am very disappointed because I think we have put on an incredible case, which demonstrated murder. When you do jury trials, you have to live with the result. We just have to live with it."
Deters said he suspected getting a verdict would be difficult after Friday when the jurors said they could not reach a decision.
“Well, it’s really rare that you have a jury that says they are hung and then they come back with a verdict,” Deters said. “We pretty much knew that after the first time we heard they were hung that we were going to have a problem."
Deters said he is investigating whether to try the case again.
Either way, he stands by the decisions he made in this case – especially charging Tensing with murder.
“There are people out there that think that cops can do whatever they want and never be charged,” Deters said. “But I just don't buy that...”
He said the prosecution team’s testimony was strong.
“We put together a hell of a case,” he said.
That includes Deters’ cross examination of Tensing.
“I hit the points I wanted to hit,” Deters said. “People think that if you talk a long time that it is better. I don't believe in that."
See WCPO's complete coverage at WCPO.com/TensingTrial.
