Jury in Samantha Woll murder trial remains deadlocked after 4 days of deliberation
(CBS DETROIT) - The jury in the Samantha Woll murder trial remains deadlocked after four days of deliberation.
On Tuesday, Judge Margaret Van Houten gave the jury until the end of the day Thursday to reach a unanimous decision. Otherwise, she said she would declare a mistrial.
The jury remains deadlocked on at least one charge, but it is unclear which charge and how many jurors are split.
On Monday, juror number 3 was replaced by an alternate juror because they had a scheduling conflict due to a previously planned vacation. A second juror was temporarily dismissed early Tuesday because of a doctor's appointment but will return Thursday when deliberations resume.
The defendant, Michael Jackson-Bolanos, 29, is charged with felony murder, first-degree murder, home invasion and lying to law enforcement after Woll, the leader of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue, was found stabbed to death outside of her home in Detroit's Lafayette Park neighborhood in October 2023.
Deliberations began on July 10, following a multi-week trial.
Jackson-Bolanos' attorney, Brian Brown, is hoping the addition of a new juror helps the deadlocked jury move forward.
"Yes, I believe this will shake things up, can provide a fresh voice and get to the root of what individuals couldn't come to an agreement on, bring a fresh perspective," Brown said.
Deliberations continue Thursday morning at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice.