Current:Home > MyJury tries again for a verdict in Detroit synagogue leader’s murder-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Jury tries again for a verdict in Detroit synagogue leader’s murder
View Date:2024-12-23 16:16:15
DETROIT (AP) — Jurors tried again Thursday to reach a verdict in the trial of a man charged with killing a Detroit synagogue leader after repeatedly telling a judge that a unanimous decision has been out of reach.
The jury resumed deliberations at the Wayne County courthouse after a day off Wednesday.
Michael Jackson-Bolanos is accused of fatally stabbing Samantha Woll at her home last October. He testified in his own defense, insisting that he had no role but acknowledging that he touched the body when he discovered it outdoors in the middle of the night.
Woll’s death immediately raised speculation about whether it was some type of antisemitic retaliation amid the Israel-Hamas war, though police quickly knocked down that theory.
She was president of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue and also active in Democratic politics, working for U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin and state Attorney General Dana Nessel. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Woll was a “beacon in her community.”
The jury has been deliberating for five days, but it had to start its work anew this week when a juror was excused and an alternate was promoted.
Judge Margaret Van Houten suggested Tuesday she’ll “accept the deadlock” and likely declare a mistrial if no verdict emerges soon. Jackson-Bolanos is charged with first-degree murder, home invasion and lying to police.
Woll, 40, was found with multiple stab wounds outside her home, just east of downtown Detroit, hours after returning from a wedding. Investigators believe she was attacked inside the residence but got outdoors before collapsing in the middle of the night.
The trial has mostly centered on circumstantial evidence. Police said Jackson-Bolanos’ jacket had spots of Woll’s blood. While there is video of him walking in the area, there’s no evidence of him being inside her home.
Jackson-Bolanos told the jury that he was in the neighborhood looking for unlocked cars. He said “absolutely not” when his attorney asked if he broke into Woll’s townhouse and stabbed her.
Investigators first arrested a former boyfriend who made a hysterical call to 911 and told authorities that he believed he might have killed Woll but couldn’t remember it. He said an adverse reaction to a medication caused him to make the call. He was not charged.
veryGood! (67445)
Related
- The Daily Money: Inflation is still a thing
- NOAA’s ‘New Normals’ Climate Data Raises Questions About What’s Normal
- TikTok Star Carl Eiswerth Dead at 35
- How Maryland’s Preference for Burning Trash Galvanized Environmental Activists in Baltimore
- 2 more escaped monkeys recaptured and enjoying peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in South Carolina
- The economics lessons in kids' books
- 5 things to know about Southwest's disastrous meltdown
- Warming Trends: Farming for City Dwellers, an Upbeat Climate Podcast and Soil Bacteria That May Outsmart Warming
- A crowd of strangers brought 613 cakes and then set out to eat them
- FTC wants to ban fake product reviews, warning that AI could make things worse
Ranking
- Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight odds will shift the longer the heavyweight bout goes
- Sony says its PlayStation 5 shortage is finally over, but it's still hard to buy
- Avoid these scams on Amazon Prime Day this week
- A Lawsuit Challenges the Tennessee Valley Authority’s New Program of ‘Never-Ending’ Contracts
- Tesla Cybertruck modifications upgrade EV to a sci-fi police vehicle
- Chrissy Teigen Slams Critic Over Comments About Her Appearance
- Eminem's Role in Daughter Alaina Scott's Wedding With Matt Moeller Revealed
- Orlando Aims High With Emissions Cuts, Despite Uncertain Path
Recommendation
-
Father sought in Amber Alert killed by officer, daughter unharmed after police chase in Ohio
-
Madonna says she's on the road to recovery and will reschedule tour after sudden stint in ICU
-
BP Pledges to Cut Oil and Gas Production 40 Percent by 2030, but Some Questions Remain
-
Damar Hamlin's 'Did We Win?' shirts to raise money for first responders and hospital
-
Dramatic video shows Phoenix police rescue, pull man from car submerged in pool: Watch
-
Rebel Wilson Shares Glimpse Into Motherhood With “Most Adorable” Daughter Royce
-
Powerball jackpot now 9th largest in history
-
Southern Cities’ Renewable Energy Push Could Be Stifled as Utility Locks Them Into Longer Contracts