SAGINAW, MI — With jurors unable to reach a unanimous verdict in the trial of a Saginaw man accused of killing another man at a Memorial Day party, a Saginaw County judge has declared a mistrial.
Late in the afternoon of Monday, Oct. 18, Saginaw County Circuit Judge Janet M. Boes issued the declaration in the trial of 32-year-old Demarcus D. “Marcus” Buell.
“I appreciate your efforts here,” Boes told the jurors. “This is what we call a hung jury. I know you’ve been diligently working on this all day. I thank you for your service at this time.”
Boes said the jurors sent her several questions during their deliberations, which she and the attorneys involved tried answering as best they could.
Buell’s trial began Oct. 11. He remains charged with open murder and felony firearm in the May 25, 2020, homicide of 26-year-old Stefan M. “Stuck” Rowe.
Trial testimony established Buell and Rowe both attended a Memorial Day barbecue the evening of May 24, 2020, at 2322 Mershon St. on Saginaw’s West Side.
Rowe’s girlfriend, Coraltila A. “Coco” Lavender, testified the two men had known each other for several years and always got along well together. Into the night and early the next morning, the two men and others were playing an Xbox football game, betting money on the games’ results, Lavender said.
Buell had shown Lavender a gun at the gathering, though she had never seen him with one before, she said. Rower also had a concealed pistols license, Lavender said.
At some point, the two men began arguing over a $50 bet, Lavender said. She was upstairs when she heard gunshots ring out. She came downstairs to see Rowe bleeding from several gunshot wounds.
Rowe was taken to an area hospital, where he died of his wounds.
Buell himself testified on Oct. 14, alleging he shot Rowe in self-defense. He claimed an intoxicated Rowe was demanding money from him and threatening him, leading to Buell to pay him $100 on a cash app, he said.
Rowe continued being aggressive, eventually leaving the house for a few seconds then returning with a handgun, Buell said.
Crying as he spoke, Buell said Rowe sat beside him and pointed the gun at him.
“I was in fear for my life. I was in fear for my life,” Buell said. “I thought right then and there he was gonna shoot me. He was gonna kill me, for what?”
Buell shielded himself with his left arm — the video game controller still in his left hand — as he grabbed his own pistol with his right hand and fired, he said.
“When I shot, I didn’t know if he was hit or was I missing or what happened,” Buell said. Rowe stumbled back, then threatened to kill Buell and started raising his gun back up. Buell then shot again, he said.
Rowe’s body bore 15 gunshot wounds, a combination of entrance and exit wounds.
A future court date for Buell is pending.
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