Samantha Woll murder trial: Could a verdict come today?
Will a verdict in the Samantha Woll murder trial come today?
According to the judge, the jury may have one more day to try and reach a verdict before the judge can expect to rule on the trial, possibly ordering a mistrial. Jurors have been deadlocked on the case, though there has been some indication of changing movement.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Could Thursday bring a verdict in the trial of Michael Jackson-Bolanos, the defendant in a high-profile murder case of a well-known Jewish leader in metro Detroit?
Today will be the fifth and potentially last day that jurors will have a chance to reach a verdict, after the judge told them she would be prepared to declare a mistrial if the deadlock could not be broken. FOX 2 will be monitoring the courthouse all day.
The last time jurors were together was Tuesday. Scheduling conflicts and the addition of one alternate juror have forced deliberations to drag on for several days.
Wayne Circuit Judge Margaret Van Houten told the jury "we don't want to give up quite yet," when they returned from deliberations. While there had been some movement toward a unanimous decision, they were still a ways away.
If a verdict cannot be reached today, the judge said she would accept the deadlock.
The prosecution has argued Jackson-Bolanos was behind the stabbing death of Woll inside her Lafayette apartment last year. Her body was found outside her home with eight separate stab wounds.
While the 29-year-old did have some of Woll's blood on him, there is no physical evidence that has linked him to the murder scene.
"He's got her blood on multiple areas of his clothing and on the backpack that he's wearing that night - that is a coincidence that he cannot overcome," said Ryan Elsey, assistant prosecutor.
The defense has pushed back against the argument, saying Jackson-Bolanos had been in the area breaking into cars when he came across her body.
Instead, defense attorney Brian Brown has claimed Woll's ex-boyfriend was the killer.
"This was a deliberate act - a crime of passion," Brown said. "He's innocent. It's not just that the prosecution hasn't proved their burden - it's that there's so much other evidence that would suggest another individual committed this particular murder."
Herbstman confessed to killing Woll a few weeks after the crime, but later recanted that confession. According to testimony from Herbstman, who took the stand with immunity, he made the confession after increasing medication he was taking for depression. He was released from custody because of insufficient evidence to charge him.
The prosecution hasn't said what their next move would be if they failed to reach a verdict today.