VERDICT WATCH VA - Joseph Ryan shot, Christine Banfield stabbed, both deceased, in home - Herndon 24 Feb 2023

[Inthedetails]

Does anyone think acquittal is a realistic option? I think it’s a conviction or at worse a hung jury.

No.

For all we know, they are not in agreement over the child endangerment charge.

I'm not worried yet.

jmo

 

[Kelly C]

When will we get a verdict i wonder?

 

[Lawnguylander1964]

My fellow jurors were a mix of being paid and not being paid, about 50/50. And about 50% of the ones who were being paid were having the $50 deducted from their pay for each day served.

When we arrived on day 1, there were 175 people called for that day. There were 2 murder trials that week, so the first jury was the first 5 groups called and I was in the second group called. They took 25 people into a conference room because there was no place to sit. Every chair and flat surface had someone there except for the judge's chair.

There were another bunch of people who could not afford to not get paid for 10 days. They were allowed to leave and cancel their further jury duty.

In the end, after each lawyer asked a series of questions about the case (things like can you look at the evidence without getting sick) there were 30 people left after lawyer challenges were dismissed.

Considering we had a bunch of alternates, it was cutting it pretty close.

 

[Megnut]

No if they don't find aggravated murder (premeditated murder of both) it's not guilty.

Judge's jury instructions
1.17.16

Please, I'm begging you, tell me it's just on that charge.

They were separated charges so they could iiuc find him not guilty of murdering CB but find him guilty of murdering RJ. Even if JM fired the fatal shot, as an accomplice, he'd still be guilty, as if he fired the second shot, right?

Please.

We're closing in on 8 hours. I did not expect this...

 

[Starlight0229]

Please, I'm begging you, tell me it's just on that charge.

They were separated charges so they could iiuc find him not guilty of murdering CB but find him guilty of murdering RJ. Even if JM fired the fatal shot, as an accomplice, he'd still be guilty, as if he fired the second shot, right?

Please.

We're closing in on 8 hours. I did not expect this...

Both charges are aggravated murder which requires murder of at least two people. Once charge is for both within one transaction or occurrence, and the other is for both within three years. I believe there was a jury instruction that indicated that if they believed that BB was a participant in the situation that he should be found guilty even if they thought it was JM that delivered the fatal shot.

 

[JoeFromLB]

I'm starting to get worried why it's taking so long....

Same here. Hoping it's not a hung jury.