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The Daily Tar Heel

Jury fails to reach verdict after full day of deliberation

After a day of deliberating, a jury did not decide whether former UNC student Chandler Kania is guilty of second-degree murder. 

Authorities say Kania was driving drunk on the wrong side of I-85 on July 19, 2015, when he crashed into another car. The crash killed three people — Darlene McGee, 46, Felecia Harris, 49, and Jahnice Beard, 6 — and injured a fourth, Jahnia King, now 11.

Kania, now 21, pleaded guilty to various charges, including three counts of felony death by vehicle.

He pleaded not guilty to three counts of second-degree murder and one count of reckless driving.

The jury will decide whether Kania will be found guilty of second-degree murder, guilty of involuntary manslaughter or not guilty. 

The element of malice separates second-degree murder from involuntary manslaughter.

The jury will reconvene Monday at 9:30 a.m. and must reach a unanimous decision.

@janelittle26

city@dailytarheel.com

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