Raul Valle is set to face a judge next month on amended charges in the killing of James “Jimmy” McGrath after a jury earlier this year found him not guilty on more serious charges in the teen’s death and the stabbing of three others outside a Shelton house party in 2022.
Valle, 20, faces one count each of first-degree reckless manslaughter and second-degree reckless assault and two counts of first-degree reckless assault, according to an amended information filed by Milford Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Marc Durso. The amended charges were filed shortly after a jury in July found Valle not guilty of murder and first-degree manslaughter with intent in McGrath’s death.
The verdict that was reached by the 12-person jury also found Valle not guilty of first-degree intentional assault in the stabbings of Ryan Heinz and Thomas Connery and not guilty of second-degree intentional assault in the stabbing of Faison Teele.
Raul Valle found not guilty of murder in fatal stabbing of Fairfield Prep student
Jurors were deadlocked on the lesser charges, leading to a judge ruling a mistrial on those offenses, which are now being pursued by Durso. Valle is scheduled to appear on Oct. 15 in Superior Court in Milford, according to the clerk’s office.
Valle was 16 when he stabbed and killed McGrath and stabbed the three others on May 14, 2022. He was tried as an adult and elected to take the stand in his own defense with his lawyer, New Haven-based attorney Kevin Smith, arguing that he was defending himself and his friend from an angry mob of about 20 people who Smith alleges were intent on seriously hurting both teens outside a party on Laurel Glenn Drive.
The stabbings happened in the wake of an altercation earlier in the night at another house party in Shelton between students at Shelton High School and St. Joseph High School in Trumbull, where Valle was a student at the time. The tensions boiled over into a group chat later in the night before Valle and his friends drove to Laurel Glenn Drive.
Smith contended during that trial that his client had no choice but to use the knife he found himself with to avoid what he said he believes would have been a serious beating.
Durso painted a different picture for jurors, alleging Valle had revenge on his mind when he allegedly asked his friend for the knife he would later use to stab Heinz, Connery, Teele and McGrath, a student at Fairfield College Preparatory School who bled to death in the driveway.
Valle turned down a plea bargain that would have included a 40-year prison term before he went to trial.
Smith did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
Michael J. Rosnick, the lawyer who represents the McGrath family in a wrongful death lawsuit, also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
