A Beaver County jury said Friday it was at an “impasse” in deliberations, but will still return Monday morning in an attempt to render a verdict in the case against Lawrence “Pooh Rat” Reddick Jr.
BEAVER — A Beaver County jury said Friday it was at an “impasse” in deliberations, but will still return Monday morning in an attempt to render a verdict in the case against Lawrence “Pooh Rat” Reddick Jr.
Reddick, 19, is accused of first degree homicide in the 2016 deaths of 18-year-old Dane Mathesius, of Brighton and New Sewickley townships, and 16-year-old William Cade Booher, of Beaver.
Deliberation began Thursday afternoon and resumed Friday morning.
The jury returned at about 1:30 p.m. Friday and told the court it was “at an 11 to one impasse” because one juror was “not following the definition of reasonable doubt.” The jury said the unidentified juror was looking for a 100 percent certainty in determining a verdict.
“What do we do?” the jury wrote to the court.
In response, Beaver County Judge Kim Tesla questioned the jury foreperson and asked if they were looking for the definition of reasonable doubt. The foreperson said they were, and Tesla re-read to the jury the legal definition of what beyond a reasonable doubt means. Tesla explained that, legally, reasonable doubt does not mean beyond any doubt or to a mathematical certainty.
Jurors were then sent back to continue deliberations. Tesla at 5 p.m. dismissed the jury for the weekend. They will resume deliberations Monday morning.
The prosecution called more than 20 witnesses over the course of about a week. The defense presented no evidence beyond its closing argument.