Schoharie County jurors have completed six days of deliberations in the nationally followed Calvin Harris murder trial, but as of Friday morning there is still no final verdict in sight.
Accused of murdering his wife on or before September 11th, 2011, the Tioga County man has been convicted twice by a jury of his peers. However, both verdicts were thrown out on appeal; the last coming after Harris had already served over three years in jail.
Prosecutors had hoped a third time would be a charm after the trial was moved to Schoharie County to ensure fairness, but jurors despoiled any hope for a speedy verdict after informing the presiding Judge George Bartlett they were deadlocked on Tuesday.
Judge Bartlett ordered the jurors to continue their deliberations that same day, citing the cost of the expedited trial to Tioga County, which the Troy, Pennsylvania based Times-Shamrock has estimated to be at approximately $60,000.00 according to available figures.
Both Tioga County juries had deliberated for only hours in each of their two previous trials, but Schoharie residents are biding their time in reaching a final decision that has stretched on for days, leaving dozens frustrated in and outside of the courthouse.
Although not significantly impacting the legal system in Schoharie, the trial has presented challenges for both the court and police.
Beginning all the way back in early February, the Harris trial has occupied the courthouse every week from Monday to Thursday, creating a backlog of local cases, while the Sheriff's Department has sacrificed its man-hours to provide security through out the trial.
Jurors are set to reconvene this morning at 9:15 a.m. until noon for further deliberations.
1 comments:
FYI: it was 2001, not 2011
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