Murder trial ends in mistrial after lawyer involved in crash

DEDHAM, Mass. (AP) - The murder trial of a Massachusetts woman charged with killing her 81-year-old neighbor ended Monday when the judge called a mistrial because the defense attorney was struck by a car.

Norfolk Superior Court Judge Thomas Connors declared a mistrial in the trial of Tammie Galloway, who's charged with killing Laura Shifrina in May 2017 at a Needham Housing Authority apartment complex.

Defense attorney Elliot Levine was struck by an car over the weekend, sustaining serious but non-life threatening injuries, the Norfolk district attorney said in an emailed statement.

A retrial was scheduled for May 12.

Galloway killed Shifrina and stole money and her car, prosecutors said.

Galloway's attorney told the jury that his client, who was involved in drugs, stole the money and car, but said she did not kill the victim.

Shifrina was a Jewish refugee who immigrated from to the United States in 2000, her daughter said. She worked as a computer software engineer in Moscow and was a member of the Massachusetts Club of Russian Speaking Scientists, her daughter said.