The Connecticut man accused of fatally stabbing Fairfield Prep student James McGrath at a house party in 2022 was acquitted of murder and intentional manslaughter in a shocking case that ultimately ended in a mistrial.
Raul Valle, 20, was emotional in Superior Court in Milford Wednesday as the jury returned a partial verdict, finding him not guilty of the most serious charges after two days of deliberations — though they remained deadlocked on lesser manslaughter and assault counts.
“I’m shocked right now at the verdict,” McGrath’s father, Kevin, told CT Insider, adding he would have been satisfied if the jury had dropped the murder charge and convicted Valle of manslaughter instead.
“I’m just in shock that an innocent young man with a brilliant potential is not with us anymore, and the person that took his life is right now free tonight. I was not ready for not guilty.”
McGrath, a popular 17-year-old lacrosse player at the college prep school, died after being stabbed in the heart during a drunken teenage brawl at a Shelton house party on March 14, 2022.
Three other partygoers were also stabbed and rushed to the hospital that night.
Valle, a 16-year-old student at St. Joseph High School in Trumbull at the time, was charged with killing McGrath and injuring three Shelton High School students — Ryan Heinz, Faison Teele and Thomas Connery — during the fatal melee, which his attorneys argued was an act of self-defense.
Witnesses told police Valle allegedly brandished a “switchblade kind of knife” prior to the fight, which he was said to have instigated, leading to a chaotic clash that involved about 25 teens, according to a police report obtained by WFSB.
Prosecutors said Valle stabbed McGrath in the heart, Heinz three times — puncturing his lung — Connery four times in the leg, and Teele once in the arm, the CT Insider reported.
Valle was in tears when he testified during the three-week trial that he was overwhelmed as he swung the blade — given to him by a friend — in all directions during the skirmish, but said he never intended to kill anyone.
He reportedly claimed he briefly blacked out during the deadly fight.
The jury also acquitted Valle of first- and second-degree reckless assault.
Valle, who previously rejected a 40-year plea deal, faced up to 105 years in prison, if convicted.
Prosecutors told the court the state intends to re-file the charges the jury could not reach a verdict on, including reckless first-degree manslaughter in McGrath’s death, and two counts of reckless first-degree assault, and second-degree reckless assault in the other stabbings.
The slain teen’s devastated family said the case isn’t over and they plan to continue pursuing justice.
“We will still be pursuing justice to hold anyone that bears any responsibility that led to the chain of events that night, it’s our job to hold them responsible,” Michael Rosnick, who represents the McGrath family, told the outlet.
“That will come with time, and we’re confident that we’ll get there.”
