Mistrial in Former WABC Newsman George Weber Murder Trial
After three days of deliberations, a judge called a mistrial in the case of John Katehis (left), now 18, accused of brutally killing former WABC Radio newsman George Weber in March 2009. The jury was deadlocked.
Supreme Court Justice Neil Jon Firetog briefly reconsidered his mistrial decision, over lawyers’ strenuous objections. The jurors wanted to deliberate for a few more hours. Ulltimately, Firetog allowed the decision to stand.
On Monday, jurors heard closing arguments.
Defense lawyer Jeffrey Schwartz claimed Katehis was a victim of a drunken predator, while prosecutor Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi described Katehis, 16 at the time, as “mature” and a “cold, calculating, savvy killer” when he stabbed Weber more than 50 times.
Weber (right), who had a sexual fetish for being smothered “to the point of where he was close to passing out,” responded to Katehis’ Craigslist ad in which he allegedly offered sex for money, according to prosecutors.
Katehis was being held without bail. If convicted, he could have faced 25 years to life in prison.
At the time of his death, Weber, 47, was a freelance anchor at ABC News Radio in New York.
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