Schoolteacher murder trial starts

LUMBERTON Myron Britt's second trial was to begin nearly two years after his first ended in a hung jury. In 2006, a jury deadlocked 11 to 1. According to court records obtained by Eyewitness News at the time, other jurors complained that they were threatened by the holdout juror and a mistrial was called after two days of deliberations.

Britt was charged with killing his wife, Nancy, who was a popular Wake County teacher, in August 2003 at her sister's home. She had been shot in the abdomen and died of internal bleeding.

At the 2006 trial, prosecutors argued that Myron Britt was in financial trouble and wanted to collect $800,000 in life insurance on his wife. The defense said the couple was happy and solvent.

Myron Britt could have faced a death sentence if convicted.