Last February's trial convicted Michael Dunn of attempted 2nd degree murder, but hung on 1st degree murder charge...
Dunn's Attorney Strolla Doesn't Want Sentencing Statements to Haunt Dunn at Re-Trial ...
Juror #8, Creshuna Miles: Dunn acted in self-defense until he fired at fleeing SUV...
Dunn's actions in fleeing the scene and failing to contact police all pointed to a "guilty mind"...
A juror from the "loud music" murder trial of Michael Dunn for the shooting death of Jordan Davis became the first to speak with the press, on this evening's episode of Nightline. (Video of this interview is embedded at the bottom of this post.) The juror...
Law Professor pundits confuse general principles of self-defense law with Stand Your Ground, and contribute to the confusion....
Andrew Branca discusses Loud Music Murder Trial on Teri O'Brien Show...
The #DunnTrial will determine whether or not an unarmed black child's body is, in and of itself, a deadly weapon.
— Aura Bogado (@aurabogado) February 15, 2014
America give black boys/men two options: 1) make white people comfortable with your presence 2) die. #DunnTrial
— Jessicuh. (@sweetbabyrae) February 15, 2014
12/3/12: Dunn's call with father about legal options
12/5/12: Dunn's calls with fiancee & his parents
12/26-27/12: Michael Dunn calls to Rhonda Rouer
UPDATE (2-14): 5:00PM Two questions from the jury. First question involves getting a 30 minute break, Healey of course says yes. Second question more substantive: Is it permissible for them to agree on several of the charges, but not on other of the charges. Answer is also yes. Verdicts would be rendered on the ones where unanimous agreement, the others would be hung, and State could re-prosecute on any hung charges at their discretion. (As a reminder, there are five indicted charges--Murder 1, three counts of attempted Murder 1, and hurling missiles. Also the jury is free to consider all lesser included charges.) UPDATE (2-14) 9:00AM Court in session. Discussion in court about simply sending jury straight into deliberations, no formal morning greeting in court. Healey: "This is a working group." Also announced that people will no longer be able to sit in the court room during recess while jury deliberations going on. People have said it might be possible for people in court room to hear talking from jury deliberations, and vice versa. So 5 minutes before reconvene will allow people back into court room. Healey: "Happy Valentines Day to everybody, we'll see you all when we get some word from the jury." Court recessed. UPDATE (2-14): 8:00AM The jury is scheduled to return to deliberations at 9:00AM. We'll be covering the events in the court room all day, real-time, right here at this post on Legal Insurrection. UPDATE (2-13): 6:20PM That's it for tonight, no jury decision yet, we start again at 9:00AM US EST tomorrow. Legal Insurrection's live-coverage will be AT THIS PAGE, so bookmark to come back. UPDATE (2-13): 4:30 Court back in session. Jury asking when letter exhibit #201 written? One of Dunn's jail house letters. Court looks through transcript, identifies as June 2013. This is the "Black Friday" letter, though obviously not written that date. Jury now retiring back to jury room. Healey tells all four alternates they'll be held overnight tonight, but tomorrow can be sequestered in hotel room rather than in court house, more comfortable for them. Update (2-13): 2:25PM Jury reports that one set of jury instructions is missing pages 32-41. (Holy cow, that's a lot of instructions.) Weighing the evidence, defendant's statements, rules for deliberations, cautionary instructions, verdict, submitting case to the jury, not substantive discussions. We didn't change any of these from the model instructions. Just sending back the missing pages. No objections from State or defense. Jurors also requested a dry easel or large paper, which will be sent back to them. Back in recess. UPDATE (2-13): 1:45PMJury asks if they can see "Bendie," the dummy with the trajectory dowels. Normally such demonstrative evidence would not go back to jury. Healey suggests he'll allow if the defense has no objection. Strolla doesn't initially object, but then turns out that the dowels in Bendie were moved around since last seen in court, no longer representative, so objects. Bendie won't go back. Healey writes out explanatory note for bailiff to give to jurors. Calls jurors into court room, reads them the note, "can't send dummy back because it was demonstrative exhibit for demonstrative purposes, not entered into evidence." Sends them back to continue their deliberations. UPDATE (2-13): 1:20PM Jury asks if they can be provided with the "trajectory-rod dummy." Problem is, dummy is demonstrative evidence only, normally would not go back to jury room. State has no objection. Strolla and Dunn discuss briefly in separate room, return and say they also have no objection. Healey, in abundance of caution, recesses for 15 minutes so case law can be reviewed, ensure they don't inadvertently make a move that could result in reversal. UPDATE (2-13): 11:50AM Defense counsel Cory Strolla speaking to reporters in live feed. UPDATE (2-13): 9:43AM. Healey speaks with the four alternate jurors. They were held over in sequester last night, both from the public and the other jurors. He tells them he's not inclined to keep all them overnight again if there's no verdict again, and is inclined to let one or two of them go home even if no verdict. Seems he'll decide later in the day. UPDATE (2-13): 9:39AM. Healey welcomed the jury back. They were not scheduled to start until 10:00AM, but are present and ready to go, so he is not going to hold them up. Last night they requested the gas station market surveillance video, and this morning they have been provided with that video and instructions on how to play it. Court is now in recess until it receives either another jury instruction or a verdict. (As this update was being typed the juror requested an external monitor on which to view the video.)Defense and State conclude their closing arguments, Judge Healey instructs the jury, and sends into deliberations...
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