Judge hears arguments on whether Raul Valle should face retrial in Shelton party stabbing case

Added: 2026-06-03

[00:00:00]The judge heard arguments from both the state and the defense on a possible retrial. During the defense's argument, the judge heavily questioned their motion to dismiss the case.

[00:00:09]>> I'm hoping the hot bench that you what we call a hot bench, which was the questions that was peppered with me, um is is not an indication of where it's going.

[00:00:17]>> Attorney Crossland Rowell and Valley's defense attorney faced many questions from the judge regarding his stance on a possible retrial. Crossland argued that the jury acquitted Valley last summer because they determined he was justified in stabbing 17-year-old James Jimmy McGrath and three others. However, Judge Kevin Russo questioned Crossland on how he can make such an assumption.

[00:00:36]Judge Russo said there's no way to know what the jury was thinking before the verdict was made. State's Attorney Mark Durso argued that the jury in the original trial never got to discuss the issue of self-defense. Durso said that if the jury did find that Valley's actions were justified, he would have been acquitted of all charges including the lesser offenses. In addition to the murder charge, the jury acquitted Valley of first-degree manslaughter as well as the intentional assault of two other people at a Shelton house party in 2022.

[00:01:04]But jurors remained deadlocked on lesser charges including reckless manslaughter and reckless assault counts. Valley's defense during the trial relied heavily on self-defense. Valley claims he was attacked by more than 10 people and that's why he took out his pocketknife.

[00:01:17]The state recharged Valley with first-degree reckless manslaughter and several assault charges and ordered a retrial. Outside of the courtroom, Crossland disagreed with the state's argument.

[00:01:28]>> I just didn't hear that that uh that the case law allowed them a pathway forward.

[00:01:33]>> Crossland says if the judge rules in favor of the state, he is prepared to take the case to trial. However, he is willing to discuss a plea deal if need be.

[00:01:42]>> If they say something that's reasonable, um that could uh make both uh parties uh feel some sense of closure, I'm open for that.

[00:01:50]>> Outside of the courthouse, Kevin McGrath, James McGrath's father, said he just wants Valley to take accountability for what happened.

[00:01:56]>> Well, why don't you take responsibility and say, "I did this. I'm sorry.

[00:02:03]I'm going to take a deal. I'm going to go to jail and do my time and move on."

[00:02:06]That's what we want.

[00:02:08]>> Judge Russo will have 90 days to decide whether this case goes back to trial.

[00:02:12]However, he said he will likely make a decision in less than that time frame.

[00:02:16]In Milford, Alicia Hercules, Fox 61.