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  Bishop O'Brien Trial Jury Resumes Deliberating Today

The Arizona Republic [Phoenix AZ]
February 17, 2004

Jury deliberations resume at 9 a.m. today in the hit-and-run trial of Bishop Thomas J. O'Brien.

Five women and three men began deliberating the case Thursday after 14 days of testimony. They were forced to stop, however, and begin again Friday when Judge Stephen Gerst of Maricopa County Superior Court announced that he had excused a male juror for "personal reasons" The alternate was male, leaving the jury at five women and three men.

O'Brien, 68, is charged with "leaving the scene of a serious injury or fatal accident" that killed pedestrian Jim L. Reed on June 14. The bishop faces up to 45 months in prison if convicted.

All eight jurors must agree for O'Brien to be convicted or acquitted. If they fail, they can declare themselves deadlocked and prosecutors would have the option of bringing the bishop to trial again.

 
 

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