BREAKING: Eric Sinclair – trial goes to mistrial after being accused of hate crime in October 2024

SALISBURY, Md. – Trial started Monday for one of the 15 former Salisbury University students implicated in an alleged hate crime.

Eric Sinclair, a member of SU’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon, sat trial.  The 21-year-old faced the judge after being charged with 2nd degree assault and false imprisonment. He faces these charges after being allegedly involved in the October 15th, 2024 assault.

Prosecutors accuse Sinclair and 14 other SU students of luring the adult victim to an off-campus apartment by using the dating app Grindr, posing as a 16-year-old male.

However, when the victim arrived, Sinclair and others are accused of kicking and striking the victim with a baking pan.

Police believe the attack was because of the victim’s sexual orientation.

Spectators watched the video of the alleged assault. At some points in the video, someone could be heard saying, “You’re a threat to society.”

Sinclair appeared uneasy throughout the court proceedings. But his lawyer, Brendan O’Brien, said Sinclair merely documented the assault on video, and did not participate.

However, Prosecutors say Sinclair was aware of the plans. The suspects targeted the victim as a replication of the popular TV show ‘To Catch a Predator’, they explained.

The case against Eric Sinclair ended in a mistrial. The decision came after 3 hours of deliberation from the jury.

Jury members re-entered the courtroom and said, “We can’t come to a decision, even if given additional time.”

A future date for the re-trial will be announced.