"It is not known which counts the jurors are deadlocked on
as they decide the fate of Michael Jackson-Bolanos,
who is accused in the
fatal stabbing
of a beloved synagogue leader and political activist
whose murder devastated the metro Detroit Jewish community
and continues to torment her family.
Woll's parents and loved ones
appeared visibly frustrated
as Wayne County Circuit Judge Margaret Van Houten took the bench
and said the jury indicated it was deadlocked.
She instructed the jury to go back into deliberations Monday morning
to try and reach a unanimous verdict.
At trial,
the defense argued repeatedly
that Jackson-Bolanos was in the wrong place at the wrong time,
and that the victim's brutal stabbing death was
a 'crime of passion'
carried out by someone who wanted her dead.
His lawyer also argued to the jury
that this was not a robbery as the prosecution maintains,
noting nothing was taken from her home.
The
prosecution, however,
called the defendant a serial liar
and urged the jury not to believe him,
maintaining that Jackson-Bolanos lied to police at least 40 times,
and fled because he feared getting caught for the killing."
After two full days of deliberations, the jury in the Samantha Woll murder trial said it is deadlocked and the judge gave them hung jury instructions.
eu.freep.com
