JTVCC Riot Trial Group 2: Jury deliberations continue

WILMINGTON, Del. – Jury deliberations are underway for the men on trial for the deadly prison takeover at James T. Vaughn in 2017.

After two days of closing arguments, we enter into the deliberation process for the second group that includes Abednego Baynes, Kevin Berry, John Bramble and Obadiah Miller. These men are charged with multiple counts such as rioting, kidnapping, conspiracy, and murder.

The jury has to determine four different outcomes as four different trials are going on.

But besides the countless testimonies from witnesses, there’s also another thing that could be giving the jury a tough time. The State is asking that each and every one of these men be charged since they acted as accomplices. In the first state, they have accomplice liability.

To break it down, here’s an example:

Imagine you were driving and a friend asks for a ride to the bank. But that person robs a bank and kills someone and because you did not know,  you are not responsible or liable.

But if a friend decides to get in and says ‘Hey, can you give me a ride. I’m robbing a bank and I have a gun,’ and if you decide to continue to take them, than you are liable of being a accomplice. If your friend shoots someone and that person dies, you are also liable of getting that murder charge because you knew what that gun could have done.

That’s what the State is trying to say about this prison riot and these men acting as accomplices.

This jury has been deliberating since Tuesday afternoon and will resume Thursday.

For the first group of men on trial, the jury took 21 hours to deliberate. 18 men have been charged in this riot, 16 for the murder of Lt. Steven Floyd.