URBANA, Ill. – A Champaign County jury was unable to reach a verdict on Wednesday in the attempted murder trial of Coreyon A. Duncan, a Champaign man accused of a May 2020 shooting that left another man partially paralyzed. After eight hours of deliberation, the jurors were unable to come to a unanimous decision on the charges of attempted murder and aggravated battery with a firearm.
During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Duncan shot the victim multiple times on the evening of May 26, 2020, outside a house on Ridgewood Drive. The victim, who was hit in the neck, chest, and pelvis, survived the attack but was left partially paralyzed.
In closing arguments, Assistant State’s Attorney Brooke Hinman emphasized that the victim had identified “Coreyon Duncan” as the shooter while receiving first aid. The jury also heard a recording of a jailhouse interview where another individual, apparently present at the shooting, corroborated that Duncan was the perpetrator.
However, Public Defender Elisabeth Pollock countered that the witness’s description of Duncan’s involvement conflicted with the surveillance video footage. The video showed the shooter standing in front of the victim on the ground, while a red car drove away from the scene. Pollock raised doubts about the credibility of the witness, suggesting they may have lied or provided false information to the police due to their own legal troubles.
Additional evidence presented during the trial revealed that Duncan had a personal connection with the shooting victim and that his cellphone pinged a tower near the crime scene around the time of the incident. Furthermore, after discovering an outstanding warrant for attempted murder, Duncan fled to Nevada.
Judge Roger Webber, presiding over the case, scheduled a status hearing for Friday to determine if a retrial will be necessary. If convicted of attempted murder, Duncan could face a sentence ranging from 31 years to life in prison.