Jury ends the first day of deliberations - Day 24 -
Jurors worked for more than seven hours Friday before telling the judge that they had not reached a verdict and were ready to go home for the weekend. The jury has therefore ended its first day of deliberations without reaching a verdict.
Katherine and Joe Jackson spent Friday afternoon in a hotel near the courthouse so they could get there quickly as they live distant from the courthouse.
Dozens of Jackson fans filled the plaza outside of the downtown Los Angeles County courthouse, shouting slogans, waving signs and sometimes arguing with Murray supporters.
Court officials say the panel met all day Friday behind closed doors and sent no messages to indicate how they are progressing in the case.
Media were camped outside the courthouse and in the courtroom where the jury's decision will eventually be read. Murray and his lawyers were not present as well as the prosecution attorneys handling the case, but everyone will receive a two-hour notice when a verdict is reached.
The jurors heard from 49 witnesses and have more than 300 pieces of evidence to consider. They were given lengthy instructions about how to deliberate and interpret the case.
Judge Michael Pastor told the five women and seven men on the jury that in order to acquit Murray of involuntary manslaughter, they must find that Jackson’s death was caused by an accident and not reckless behavior.
For the jurors to find Murray guilty, they must unanimously determine that he committed a lawful act with criminal negligence or failed to perform a legal duty with criminal negligence.
Abc news reports that the jurors were bused to court from an undisclosed location today, where they are to pick a foreman and begin to deliberate their decision, which must be unanimous.
Jurors will signal with a buzzer if they have a question, want testimony read back, or have reached a verdict. The way it works:
--1 buzz: Jury is present and deliberating
--2 buzzes: Question or break
--3 buzzes: Verdict
If the jury has a question, the judge will likely contact the lawyers by phone and resolve the issue in the jury room without bringing the matter to the courtroom.
Once the jury has reached a verdict, there will be a two-hour delay before the decision is announced in the courtroom, giving everyone time to get there.
MJFS - ap - cnn - hlntv