Raul Valle Could Face New Trial Following Recent Ruling By Judge: Reports

SHELTON, CT — Raul Valle could face a new trial following a new ruling from a judge last week, according to media reports.

Valle was found not guilty of charges of murder and intentional manslaughter, as well as intentional first and second-degree assault, in July 2025 after a 12-person jury returned a partial verdict, however jury members were deadlocked on reckless manslaughter and assault charges.

Valle, who was 16 at the time of his arrest and a student at St. Joseph High School in Trumbull, was accused of fatally stabbing 17-year-old James McGrath outside a home in Shelton in May 2022.

CT Insider reports a judge denied Valle's motion to dismiss the remaining charges Friday, which clears the way for prosecutors to retry him on lesser included offenses.

According to CT Insider, the judge ruled prosecutors could proceed with a new trial on the lesser included offenses the jury deadlocked on, which resulted in a mistrial on those counts.

NBC Connecticut reports Valle's attorneys have argued trying him again would be double jeopardy, however the judge disagreed.

News 8 reports Valle's attorney, Darnell Crosland, shared a statement saying he strongly disagreed with Friday's ruling and would continue to fight for Valle.

Crosland also said he intended to appeal the ruling immediately to the Connecticut Appellate Court, according to News 8.

The case dates back to 2022, when the Shelton community was first rocked by the death of McGrath, a 17-year-old Shelton resident who attended Fairfield College Preparatory School.

According to an arrest warrant application, McGrath was stabbed outside a house party with over 50 teens in attendance on Laurel Glen Drive late on May 14, 2022.

Valle was arrested days after the incident and later released after posting a $2 million bond.

See also: Suspect In James McGrath Murder Case Found Not Guilty Of Murder, Manslaughter: Reports

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In November 2023, Valle rejected a plea deal that would have called for him to serve 40 years in prison and did not make a counter-offer. At that time, his lawyer told the media his client was innocent and wanted a trial.

After McGrath's death, his parents and sister, Rosie, established The Jimmy McGrath Foundation in his honor as a way of promoting mental and physical wellness for local youths while "instilling in them a profound appreciation for the value of a human life," according to the organization's website.