Crime Scene

Waiting for a jury to reach a verdict can be nerve-wracking for prosecutors, defense lawyers and family. And when it’s a murder case, emotions run deeper.

People start playing the old game of trying to guess what 12 people (15 including alternates) are thinking as the clock ticks, as hours go by, as todays turn into tomorrows. As time goes by, prosecutors and defense lawyers start wondering if they did all they could during the trial.

Then when jurors ask for read-backs of a witnesses’s testimony, the questions come pouring out: Why, and what are the jurors looking at? Did they decide the murder count and are moving on? Or are they looking to acquit or they can’t all agree.

Guessing just makes it more frustrating. Cause no one knows.

The Carlos Herring jury seemingly went over all five charges – murder, assault, two gun possession counts, and meanacing. They asked for read-backs on the judge’s explaination of the laws and some testimony related to the counts.

After nearly six hours of deliberating Wednesday and about 11 hours today (including non-deliberating lunch-dinner breaks and waiting for readbacks), the County Court jury convicted Herring of murdering Don Juan Thompson II, known as Scooter, in the parking lot outside Club Horizon at 4:30 a.m. Aug. 5 in Spring Valley.

They also convicted Herring of the two gun possession counts and assault (one man was wounded) but acquitted him of meancing, the lone misdemeanor count. Herring faces 15 to 15 years to life on June 6 for the top count of second-degree murder for intentionally killing Thompson.

 The verdict brought relief to Scooter’s family and friends, who passed the deliberations calmly, but they wondered what was taking so long.

Prosecutors Beth Finkelstein and Steve Miller saw their arguments and witnesses win over the jury. Defense lawyer John Edwards saw his shot at maybe getting a manslaughter conviction or an acquital based on self-defense end with the verdict.

While the jury pondered the evidence, Finkelstein created some good Karma by giving Tawana White a green frog Webkinz for Isiah, 6, Scooter’s and her son. Finkelstein also explained the intricacies of Webkinz to White, including naming and registering the stuffed animals on the computer site and then feeding and caring for the critters. Children love Webkinz (my daughter has 7 and counting).

After the verdict came in, Judge Catherine Bartlett probably was happy. She made sure she got on the bench at her own scheduled starting times these last two days and got the jurors going. She had added incentive for timeliness: She needed a verdict because she is looking to fly to Florida tomorrow (Friday). She got a verdict and hopefully will get a clear sky.