I view the longer than anticipated jury deliberation time pessimistically.
True enough – the trial lasted 4 months BUT the jury sat for some 4-5 hours during each 2-3 day long work week.
The relevant material was presented during the state’s case in chief. JA testimony and expert testimony was larded with a substantial amount of blather. One could sum up the defense case succinctly in about 3-4 type written pages.
There was a substantial amount of peripheral material presented to bolster the state’s case.
The fundamental questions are simple to pose:
• FACT = JA did indeed kill TA. She killed him via knife and a gun.
• FACT = JA shot TA in the head and stabbed him in the back and neck.
• Was JA provoked to kill TA either in self-defense OR in the heat of passion?
• Is JA testimony about the June 4 events truthful or credible ie flight into the closet to obtain an unloaded gun? TA rage? JA body- slammed and assaulted by TA?
• Did the state make the case for premeditation based on circumstantial evidence presented – gas cans, cell phone, rental car etc.?
• Did the state make the case for felony murder based on time interval between knife stabs, slit throat, and gunshot wound (or even gunshot wound first)?
Discussion:
The jury sat and listened and understood the content of some 50 days of testimony. They asked questions and received answers. Each juror certainly held an opinion to guilt or degree of guilt by May 4. If 12 jurors leaned towards guilt – it would take no more than 4 hours to parse each of the key questions noted above.
If the jurors were divided between M1 and M2- the deliberation might go on for days.
If some juror or jurors opt for acquittal based on self defense a deadlocked jury is possible.
It seems therefore that after more than 13 hours of deliberation this jury is seriously divided between M1 and M2 or are headed for a deadlock.