Murder trial in Oktibbeha County ended in a mistrial

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A murder trial in Oktibbeha has ended in a mistrial.

The jury was seated Monday in the case against James Dustin Nixon.

But Circuit Judge Jim Kitchens says he had to declare a mistrial.

Kitchens said testimony on Tuesday revealed that the State Medical Examiner’s office had evidence that neither the defense nor the district attorney’s office had access to prior to the trial.

After reviewing that evidence, the defense requested a mistrial.

Nixon is charged with first-degree murder in the 2018 death of 26-year-old Shawn Stricklin.

Stricklin’s BODY was found on the side of Highway 12 in Longview in April of 2018.

Sources told WCBI, at the time, that Stricklin had been shot.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A date has not been scheduled for a new trial.