Jurors within the trial of Karen Learn, who’s accused of killing her boyfriend, a Boston police officer, stated they might not attain a unanimous verdict in a Friday replace.
A jury of six males and 6 girls spent a lot of the week deliberating on the decision following the two-month trial of Learn, 44, who was accused of killing John O’Keefe, 46.
Jurors notified Decide Beverly Cannone on Friday that that they might not attain a unanimous verdict, Boston.com reported.
A word, learn aloud by Cannone, stated: “Pricey Decide Cannone, I’m writing to tell you on behalf of the jury that regardless of our exhaustive evaluate of the proof and our diligent consideration of all disputed proof, we’ve been unable to achieve a unanimous verdict.”
Prosecutors requested Cannone to instruct the jury to proceed deliberating. In the meantime, Learn’s protection staff argued that the jury has had adequate time to weigh the information and proof of the case.
Cannone in the end instructed the jury to proceed deliberating, deciding that they’d not had sufficient time to weigh the “advanced points” introduced up in trial.
The decide added that Friday was simply the second full day that jurors had spent deliberating on the case, after solely deliberating for a number of hours on Tuesday and leaving court docket early on Wednesday.
“Everyone knows how exhausting you’ve been working,” Cannone stated to jurors throughout a quick deal with, Boston.com reported. “Lunch can be arriving shortly. When it comes, I’d ask you to clear your heads, have lunch, and start your deliberations once more – or proceed your deliberations.”
As jurors proceed deliberating on a verdict, the high-profile trial continues to seize nationwide consideration.
O’Keefe, who served as a Boston police officer for 16 years, was discovered lifeless on 29 January 2022 exterior the house of Brian Albert, a retired Boston cop who hosted a home get together within the Boston suburb of Canton.
In keeping with investigators, O’Keefe suffered a number of head accidents, together with a fractured cranium and a mind bleed. The 46-year-old additionally sustained hypothermia.
Prosecutors have argued that Learn killed O’Keefe in an act of home violence. Learn is accused of driving over O’Keefe with an SUV whereas below the affect and fleeing the scene whereas O’Keefe lay dying.
Learn pleaded not responsible to a number of expenses together with second-degree homicide, manslaughter whereas drunk and leaving the scene of a lethal crash. She faces life in jail with out the potential for parole, if discovered responsible.
Her protection staff has maintained that she was framed by corrupt officers making an attempt to cowl up O’Keefe’s homicide, utilizing fabricated proof and a false testimony to border Learn.
The protection additionally narrowed in on sexist texts despatched by the lead investigator of the case, state trooper Michael Proctor.
Proctor referred to as Learn a “whack job” in a number of textual content messages to buddies, households and colleagues in regards to the case, the Related Press reported.
The state trooper additionally admitted to joking with different officers about not discovering any nude photographs of Learn throughout the investigation whereas looking her cellphone and texting his sister that he wished Learn would “kill herself”.
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