Jury finds man criminally responsible in 2018 mass shooting at Maryland newspaper
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Updated: 5:30 PM CDT Jul 15, 2021
The Associated Press
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Updated: 5:30 PM CDT Jul 15, 2021
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SHE JOINS US LIVE WITH REACTIONS TOHE T VERDICT. >> THIS TRIAL HAS BNEE ALL ABOUT CONTRASTS. IF THE JURY DELIBERATIONS -- AND THE JURY THE LIBERATIONS WERE NO DIFFERENT. AFTER 12 DAYS OF TESTIMONY, HEARING FR AOM EXPERT WITNESSES, HEARING FROM AND WATCHING VIDEO -- NINE HOURS OR MORE A VIDEOTAPE AND IMAGES, AND A LOT OF IT WAS GRAPHIC. DAN COULD -- AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOCUMENTS IN THIS CASE, IT TOOKHI TS JURY 40 MINUTES MAX TO REACH ITS DECISION. HUGE AMOUNT OF EVIDENCE, VERY SWIFT DELIBERATION. IT WAS A DECISION FAMILY MEMBERS AND SURVIVORS HAILED ONCE THEY HEARD IT. THERE WERE SPONTANEOUS STANDING OVATIONS FOR THE PROSECUTOR AND MEMBERS OF THE JURY AS THEY CAME OUT OFHE T COURTROOM AND THIS CLOSING ARGUMTEN WAS STARKLY DIFFERENT. ANOTHER CONTRAST HERE. IT WAS THE DEFENSE THAT ACTUALLY EMPLOYED AN EMOTIONAL ARGUMENT, TELLING THE JURY THAT YOU HAVE TO BINE SANE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS. IT WAS THE STATE THAT WAS PRAGMATIWITHC THEIR CLOSING, TELLING THE JURY, YOU JUST TAKE THE EVIDENCE THAT THE DEFENSE VEGA DUE, YOU PLUG IT INTO THIS VERY SIMPLE TESTS FROM ETH MARYLAND STATUTE TO SEE IF HE IS SAYING OR NOT AND THEN YOUET G YOUR ANSWER. THEN THEY TOLD THE JY,UR THE DEFENSE GAVE YOU NO EVIDEE TONC PLUG INTO THE TESTS. THE JURY OBVIOUSLY UNDERSTOOD THAT. THEY CAME TO THIS DECISION VERY QUICKLY. AND HERISE THE REACTION TO THAT FROM THE PROSECUTOR. >> WHAT AMI GOING TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS AND I WANT EVERYONE ELSE TO TAKE AWAY FROM IT ISHE T HEROES, LIKE WENDI WINTERS, OWH PROBLYAB BOUGHT HER COWORKERS ADDITIONAL TIME BY CHARGING HIM WITHER H TRASHCAN AND HER RECYCLING CAN. >> I AM WENDI WINTERS YOUNGEST CHILD. I’M HERE WITH MY SISTER TODAY, MY OTH TERWO SIBLINGS CANNOT BE HERE. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO THE STATES ATTORNEY AND TO EVERYONE IN THE OFFICES AND ALL THE FIRST RESPONDERS. DAN EVERYONE WHO TESTIFIED AND HAD THE COURAGE TO GET UP THERE AND TELL THEIR STORY AND ESPECIALLY TO THE JURY WHO HAD TO SEE WHAT THE SURVIVORS SAW. >> I PUT THE CONSTITUTION BOOK HOPED HE WOULD GET JUSTICE. I AM REALLY GLAD. REPORT:ER YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED A LOT OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS WERE WEARGIN RED. WE NOTICED IT AND WE ASKED. MESO -- WENDI WINTERS YOUNGEST DAUGHTER TOLD US IT WAS FOR YOUR MOM’S FAVOTERI COLOR AND SHE SAID ONE OF THE LAST THINGS HER MOM SAID TO HER WAS, BLACK AND WHITE AND RED ALL OVER, IT WAS LIKE A NEWSPAPER JOKE, AND SHE CHUCKLED AND SAID SHE IS SO YOUNG THAT SHE DIDN’T GET IT, BUT IT MEAN SOMETHING TO HER NOW. THAT’S WHY THEY WORE BLACK, WHITE, AND RED. THE GUNMAN WILL SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE IN PRISON. THERE WILL BE NO PAROLE AND THE ATTORNEY TOLD FAMILY MEMBERS IN A PRIVATE CONVERSATION TTHA IN EIGHT OR NINE WEEKS HE WILL BE IN A MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON IN WESTERN MARYLAND, TO WHICH ONE FAMILY MEMBER RESPONDED, THANK