Jury unable to decide penalty after Van Buren man's murder conviction

WEST PLAINS, Mo. -- A jury was unable to determine the penalty for a Van Buren, Mo., man convicted of killing a Missouri State Highway Patrol sergeant, so the decision will be made by the judge at a later date.

Lance Shockley, 32, was convicted Friday of shooting Sgt. Carl Dewayne Graham Jr. to death March 20, 2005.

The seven-man, five-woman jury spent three hours Saturday deliberating whether Shockley should receive the death penalty or life in prison without parole but could not reach a decision.

Check back later for more or read Sunday's Southeast Missourian.