Nagee Green, 23, the man accused of killing Ithaca College student Anthony Nazaire, has avoided a murder conviction June 19 as the jury convicted him of second–degree assault but deadlocked on the more serious charge.

Nazaire died Aug. 28 after being stabbed on College Avenue at Cornell University following an Omega Psi Phi event. Ithaca College rising junior Rahiem Williams was also stabbed and injured during the incident.

While video was shown in court of Green wielding a knife, no video was obtained of him stabbing either student, and no eyewitnesses saw Green commit the crimes. Also, no DNA belonging to Green was found on the knife used to stab Nazaire and Williams, according to The Ithaca Voice.

However, rising senior at the college Daniel Nunez testified that during the night of the murder, he faced off with Green during the several small fights that broke out before the stabbings. Nunez said he and Green exchanged punches and that he noticed a knife in Green’s right hand, according to The Ithaca Journal. The defense argued that the prosecution lacked hard evidence, including that Green was not seen by any witnesses stabbing either student, according to the Ithaca Journal.

President Tom Rochon sent a campus-wide email to the college community expressing his discomfort for the lack of closure the partial verdict creates, but that students, faculty and staff should trust the judicial process.

“The outcome of the trial and the related media coverage are likely to renew our community’s feelings of grief and anger,” Rochon said. “We have experienced a tremendous loss with Anthony’s death, and I encourage each of us to continue to reach out to one another for support and comfort now and when the campus comes back together in the fall.”

Judge John Rowley said during court June 19 that the case may go to retrial. The defense, the prosecution and Rowley will be meeting July 21 to discuss a retrial option, according to The Ithaca Voice.