By Joel Magalnick, Editor, JTNews
A procedural question from the jury in the trial of Naveed Haq on Wednesday suggested that it may be deadlocked.
Judge Paris K. Kallas did not answer one question — whether jurors should move from deliberating the aggravated murder charge to considering the first of five counts of attempted murder. She did, however, tell the jury to deliberate on any of the 15 charges against Haq in whatever order they see fit.
The jury began its deliberations on May 25 to decide whether Haq, who has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the shootings of six women at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle in July 2006, should be convicted of aggravated murder in the death of 58-year-old Pamela Waechter. That finding would result in an automatic life sentence for Haq.
During testimony, which ended May 24, the prosecution argued that Haq, while having struggled with mental health issues, had spent several days preparing for the attack, including conducting Internet searches on Jewish organizations and purchasing firearms.
The defense focused its testimony on whether Haq’s state of mind at the time of the shootings allowed him to tell right from wrong, and whether side effects from the drug regimen psychiatrists had placed him on had caused him to have manic episodes. Washington law narrowly defines insanity in criminal defense proceedings.
Haq did not take the stand.
A verdict had not been reached by the time JTNews went to press on Wednesday. Once the jury completes its deliberations, the story will be posted on our Web site, www.jtnews.net. To receive an alert when the verdict comes in, sign up for our bi-weekly e-mail service; a special announcement will go out to subscribers of the list at that time.