JUDGE TELLS JURORS TO KEEP DELIBERATING IN MURDER TRIAL.Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer Jurors in the trial of two men charged with murdering a 17-year-old Hoover High School Hoover High School may refer to any of the following:
n. 1. A standstill resulting from the opposition of two unrelenting forces or factions. 2. Sports A tied score. 3. on four of six charges. Wednesday marked the second time that jurors have reached a standstill standstill /stand·still/ (stand´stil?) cessation of activity, as of the heart (cardiac s.) or chest (respiratory s.) . stand·still n. Complete cessation of activity or progress. in deciding the fate of Karen Terteryan, 21, and Rafael Gevorgyan, 18. The two are charged with murder, attempted murder In the criminal law, attempted murder is committed when the defendant does an act that is more than merely preparatory to the commission of the crime of murder and, at the time of these acts, the person has a specific intention to kill. and street terrorism in a May 5, 2000, melee in front of Hoover High School in Glendale that resulted in the death of Raul Aguirre. Defense attorney Mark Geragos Mark John Geragos (born October 5 1957) is an American criminal defense attorney best known for defending pop-star Michael Jackson, actress Winona Ryder, Gary Condit, and Susan McDougal, who was involved in the Whitewater scandal. argued to the judge that allowing further deliberations when jurors have twice admitted they are deadlocked could send the message that they need to force themselves to come to a decision. ``The court is coercing a verdict in this case,'' Geragos said. ``If we keep them there ad infinitum ad in·fi·ni·tum adv. & adj. To infinity; having no end. [Latin ad, to + , we will get a verdict on all counts.'' But prosecutor Darrell Mavis said providing the opportunity to continue deliberating is part of the legal process. ``Sometimes jury deliberations can be difficult, but there's been nothing coercive by the court,'' Mavis said. ``The process should be that we reach a verdict - that's the goal of a jury and that's what we're hoping for.'' Attorneys for both sides of the case, being tried in downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area. The sprawling, multi-centered megacity is such that its downtown core is often considered just another district like Hollywood or before Superior Court Judge Michael M. Johnson, were allowed to make arguments Tuesday, addressing legal points on which jurors expressed confusion. Wednesday, jurors indicated they still were deadlocked. When polled individually by the judge, three said they felt further discussions would help them reach a decision on the other counts. Aguirre was beaten and stabbed when he intervened in the fight to help a friend. While minors at the time of Aguirre's death, both defendants are being tried as adults. If convicted, Terteryan faces life in prison without parole and Gevorgyan faces a possible term of 25 years to life. Naush Boghossian, (818) 546-3306 naush.boghossian(at)dailynews.com |
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