MILFORD, CT (WFSB) - A man accused of killing a Shelton teenager at a house party appeared before a judge on Tuesday to determine his legal representation for an upcoming retrial.

Raul Valle faced the court in Milford where he revealed that he’s using attorney Darnell Crosland for his next trial.

The state is seeking to retry Valle on lesser charges stemming from the 2022 deadly stabbing of Jimmy McGrath.

Crosland said he’s seeking to have that trial thrown out.

In his last two court appearances, Valle told the judge the first trial took a big financial toll on his family and he needed more time to find an attorney he could afford.

Valle’s next court date is March 25 in Milford.

In July, a jury found Valle not guilty of murder. However, the 12 jurors could not reach a verdict on the lesser charges he faced, including reckless manslaughter and reckless assault charges.

The hung jury on the charges led to the state’s decision to pursue a retrial.

Tuesday’s hearing determined Valle’s legal representation moving forward in the case that has drawn national attention over the years.

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