Jury To Start Deliberating Case Of Dunkin Donuts Murders
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – A Lauderhill man, already sentenced to 9 life terms for a violent doughnut shop robbery in Delray Beach, will soon learn his fate in his trial for 2 murders which took place during a two-county crime spree.
The jury in the case against suspected gang member James Herard is expected to begin deliberating Tuesday afternoon.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Herard for the murder of 56-year-old Kiem Huynh at a Tamarac Dunkin Donuts on November 27th, 2008 and the murder of Eric Jean-Pierre. Jean-Pierre was shot in the face. Herard is accused of ordering the killing while driving with a fellow gang member.
Huynh died after being shot in the back during the Thanksgiving Day robbery of Dunkin Donuts in 2008.
Herard is also accused of taking part in the robberies of three Broward Dunkin Donuts and a 7-11.
Herard, described as the ringleader of a gang of violent criminals, was sentenced in August 2011 to nine life terms for the robbery of a Delray Beach Dunkin Donuts just one day before he allegedly shot and killed Huynh. During the Delray Beach crime, four customers were shot, two in the face. Nobody died.
He was convicted of 19 counts including multiple counts of attempted First Degree Murder.
If convicted he could face the death penalty.