Dunbar Village juries separately due to begin deliberations this morning

The Dunbar Village gang-rape trial is expected to be in the hands of the separate juries for Tommy Poindexter and Nathan Walker sometime early today.

Prosecutors seemed confident of the evidence they have presented in the state’s case, yet a little nervous.

After final defense witnesses, such as Walker’s mother Ruby, the summations included Williams’ pointed — and with repeated two-handed pointing at Poindexter — accusation to the jury that “He’s guilty as sin.”

The jury will have to reconcile the attorneys’ competing claims that they must have exact evidence of who did what  to find the defendants guilty (Poindexter’s Public Defender Carey Haughwout) or conclude all are guilty of everything based on evidence showing they were present and involved (the point at times animatedly made by Williams).

At 8:30 the judge is due to define for the first jury, then the second, the correct legal basis for conviction.

Then the case is in their hands.

As has repeatedly been heard stated in the courtroom, and the halls outside, these past two weeks: “All it takes is one (holdout) juror to deep-six the case and accomplish the mistrial for which Walker attorney Robert Gershman has moved on several occasions throughout the trial while, undoubtedly looking to lay basis for appeal.

C.B. Hanif for WAOD:

The Dunbar Village gang-rape trial is expected to be in the hands of the separate juries for Tommy Poindexter, 20, and Nathan Walker, 18, sometime early today.

After their closing arguments, prosecutors seemed confident of the evidence they have presented in the state’s case, yet a little apprehensive, perhaps due to the inability of the victim to identify the faces of any of the masked attackers in the brutal attack two years ago on her and her son.

After final defense witnesses Thursday, such as Walker’s mother Ruby, the summations included Assistant State's Attorney Craig Williams’ pointed — and with repeated two-handed pointing at Poindexter — accusation to the jury that “He’s guilty as sin.”

The seperate juries, for the defendants being tried simultaneously, will have to reconcile the attorneys’ competing claims that they must have exact evidence of who did what in order to find the teenagers guilty (Poindexter’s Public Defender Carey Haughwout), or conclude that all are guilty of their more than 10 charges based on evidence that they were present and involved (the point at times animatedly made by Williams).

There always was the possibiliy that the juries in the joint trial might reach divergent conclusions.

Circuit  Court Judge Krista Marx is due to define for the first jury, then the second, the correct legal basis for conviction.

Then the case of the two African-American teens is in the all-white juries' hands.

As has repeatedly been heard stated in the courtroom, and the halls outside, these past two weeks:

“All it takes is one" (holdout) juror to deep-six the state's case, and accomplish the mistrial for which Walker attorney Robert Gershman has moved on several occasions throughout the trial while, undoubtedly looking to lay basis for appeal.

Avion Lawson, one of the four teens arrested in the case, testified for the state as part of a plea deal aimed at lowering the life sentences they all face.

The trial for another, Jakaris Taylor, is due to begin next in September.

During his testimony, Lawson identified Melvin Young and Augustus Fontaine as two of the 10 participants the mother said attacked her and her son but who have not been charged.

(As much as possible, WAOD will continue to be on Twitter (cbhanif) from the courtroom and courthouse.)

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Comments

[Faith]

I want to know what's up with Juror #5. Did she calm down enough to complete her duties?

[RevMamaAfrika]

The jury must be unaminous (sp) on each charge.

I praying for guilty on all charges. PERIOD.