The jury in the Anne Norris murder trial was back in the courtroom Friday, but ended its first full day of deliberations without reaching a verdict.
The 12 jurors, who had been sequestered in a local hotel overnight, began their discussions around 9:30 a.m., but paused an hour later when they submitted two written questions to Justice William Goodridge.
Goodridge took time to formulate a response before presenting it to them in the afternoon.
The jurors asked for clarification on the definition of “hearsay,” and requested an explanation of “state of mind” — specifically, how it differs from the requirements for a not criminally responsible verdict.
Norris, 30, is accused of murdering 46-year-old Marcel Reardon in the first degree by striking him repeatedly in the head with a hammer in May 2016. Crown prosecutors say Norris planned to kill Reardon and did it deliberately. Defence lawyers say Norris admits killing Reardon, but she was unable to tell what was morally right or wrong at the time due to a mental illness causing her to be delusional and psychotic.
Goodridge told the jurors state of mind relates to intent, and they should consider it only if they’ve dismissed a not criminally responsible verdict.
To find Norris not criminally responsible, the jury must conclude that, more likely than not, her mental illness robbed her of the ability to appreciate the moral consequences of her actions. If they don’t come to this conclusion, they must then decide whether Norris is guilty of murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree, or manslaughter.
After receiving their response from Goodridge, the jury went back into deliberations until 6 p.m. They will spend another night sequestered in the hotel — without TV, access to the internet or phones — and will resume their discussions Saturday morning.
Twitter: @tara_bradbury
