Jan 30, 2014 1 min read

BEAVER – A western Pennsylvania judge has declared a mistrial in the death penalty trial of two stepbrothers accused of having killed an elderly man who authorities say was tied up and beaten during a robbery.

The Beaver County Times reports that President Judge John McBride ruled Thursday that some testimony had been inappropriate without going into specifics. A new trial will be scheduled.

Twenty-six-year-old Joseph Arlott and 23-year-old Beau Chermer, both of McKees Rocks, are charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, burglary and robbery.

Eighty-two-year-old Daniel Santia died weeks after he was released from the hospital and taken to a rehab facility following the April 2012 break-in at his Hopewell Township home.

The defense has argued that Santia’s injuries were superficial and he died of unrelated health issues.