Home Local News JURY DELIBERATIONS UNDERWAY IN MELVIN SPENCER TRIAL

JURY DELIBERATIONS UNDERWAY IN MELVIN SPENCER TRIAL

1611
SHARE

UPDATE 5:45PM 8/25/17

JURY DELIBERATIONS ARE UNDERWAY IN THE TRIAL OF MELVIN SPENCER, WHO IS CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER FOR ALLEGEDLY SHOOTING AT A COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTY DURING A FEBRUARY PURSUIT.

JURORS HEARD TESTIMONY FRIDAY MORNING FROM WOODBURY COUNTY DEPUTY MICHAEL LENZ, WHO DESCRIBED WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE CAR SPENCER WAS DRIVING GOT STUCK IN THE SNOW DURING THE PURSUIT:

OC…………WITH A HANDGUN. ;16

JURORS ALSO WATCHED DASH-CAM VIDEO OF THE PURSUIT FROM THE PATROL CAR OF DEPUTY LENZ.

AFTER WOODBURY COUNTY ATTORNEY PATRICK JENNINGS WRAPPED UP THE PROSECUTION’S CASE, THE LAWYER FOR THE 25 YEAR OLD SPENCER DECLINED TO CALL ANY WITNESSES IN THE CASE.

BUT AFTER THE JURY LEFT THE ROOM, DEFENSE ATTORNEY MICHAEL WILLIAMS ASKED JUDGE JOHN ACKERMAN TO DISMISS THE CASE, CITING INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE.

THE JUDGE DENIED THE MOTION.

IF THE JURY HAD NOT REACHED A VERDICT FRIDAY, DELIBERATIONS WOULD RESUME AT 9AM MONDAY.

———————————————————–

THE PROSECUTION RESTED ITS CASE FRIDAY MORNING IN THE TRIAL OF A SIOUX CITY MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER FOR ALLEGEDLY SHOOTING AT A COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTY DURING A FEBRUARY PURSUIT.

THE LAWYER FOR 25 YEAR OLD MELVIN SPENCER THEN DECLINED TO CALL ANY WITNESSES IN THE CASE.

AFTER THE JURY LEFT THE ROOM, DEFENSE ATTORNEY MICHAEL WILLIAMS THEN ASKED JUDGE JOHN ACKERMAN TO DISMISS THE CASE, CITING INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE.

THAT AFTER JURORS HAD SPENT MUCH OF THE MORNING WATCHING DASH-CAM VIDEO FROM THE PATROL CAR OF DEPUTY MICHAEL LENZ, SHOWING THE SUSPECT FIRING SHOTS AT THE DEPUTY AND HIS CAR.

THE JUDGE DENIED THE MOTION AND SET CLOSING ARGUMENTS AND JURY INSTRUCTIONS FOR 2:30PM.