7/23/09 – Jury questions: Clarification of the Mann act
Today’s THV
July 23, 2009
Posted By: Rebecca Buerkle
Posted By: Charles Crowson
Posted By: Monika Rued
Jurors Sent Home In Alamo Trial, Court Resumes Friday
Judge Harry Barnes sent the jury home and they will resume deliberations Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. He commended them for their progress.
Alamo stands accused of taking underage girls across state lines for sex.
Around 2:30 p.m., the jury called attorneys back to the courtroom for a third question. The first two were asked during a brief meeting at 11:05 a.m. Alamo’s defense team has confirmed the three questions were for clarification on the Mann Act.
Earlier today, Alamo’s lead defense attorney Don Ervin said that the question(s) indicate that the jury is thinking through the charges against his client. When asked if he remained optimistic, Ervin replied, “Yes.”
Wednesday, Alamo talked about what could happen to him and how he could be viewed should the jury come back with a guilty verdict.
Alamo fell asleep four times during Wednesday’s closing arguments where his attorneys urged the jury to not rely on sympathy or prejudice but instead on the law.
Don Ervin , Alamo’s lead attorney, said the government tried to play into the jurors’ emotions.
By contrast, the government’s Kyra Jenner said they’d simply shown Alamo to be guilty of all charges brought against him, even turning to Alamo at one point and saying, “Mr. Alamo. Your crimes have been exposed in this courtroom.”
Several times in Judge Harry Barnes’ court, you could hear Alamo church members say “Amen” in support of their embattled leader.
Opponents of Alamo have said a day of reckoning is coming, and Alamo’s is now.