Update….the jury was sent home around 5:15 p.m. Monday after failing to reach a verdict. They resume deliberations at 9 a.m. Tuesday.
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JURY DELIBERATIONS BEGAN AROUND 12:30 TODAY (MONDAY) IN THE FIRST DEGREE MURDER TRIAL OF NATHANIEL PARKER OF SIOUX CITY.
THE 31-YEAR-OLD PARKER IS CHARGED IN THE FEBRUARY 24TH DEATH OF 48-YEAR-OLD WILLIAM HARLAN, WHO DIED FROM MULTIPLE STAB WOUNDS.
JUDGE JEFFREY NEARY GAVE THE JURY IT’S INSTRUCTIONS AT 10:30 A.M. WHEN THE TRIAL RESUMED AND THEN COUNTY ATTORNEY JAMES LOOMIS BEGAN THE CLOSING ARGUMENTS.
LOOMIS TOLD THE JURY THAT THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED PROVED PARKER STABBED HARLAN AS THE MEN SAT IN THE BACK OF A CAR AT 414 11TH STREET.
HARLAN SUSTAINED THREE STAB WOUNDS TO THE CHEST, SUFFERING A PUNCTURED LUNG AND SEVERED AORTA.
LOOMIS SAYS PARKER WAS FOUND HIDING IN A BATHROOM AT AN APARTMENT AND HAD CONCEALED THE MURDER WEAPON, A KNIFE WITH A 10 INCH BLADE, IN A T-SHIRT AND PLACED IT IN THE BATHROOM CEILING.
DEFENSE ATTORNEY JOHN LOOS SAID SURVEILLANCE VIDEO DOESN’T SHOW THE CRIME BEING COMMITTED AND WHILE PARKER POSSESSED METH, HE DIDN’T ATTEMPT TO FLEE THE APARTMENT WHEN OFFICERS ARRIVED.
HE SAID OTHER PEOPLE IN THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD KNIVES AND PARKER BROUGHT HARLAN INTO HIS FATHER’S APARTMENT BECAUSE HE SAW HE NEEDED HELP.
COUNTY ATTORNEY LOOMIS TOLD JURORS TO USE THEIR COMMON SENSE IN REVIEWING THE EVIDENCE AND THAT NOBODY ELSE COULD HAVE COMMITTED THE CRIME.
