PORTLAND – A jury weighing the murder case against Brandon Thongsavanh spent Wednesday deliberating behind closed doors and left for the night without reaching a verdict.
Jurors sent three notes to attorneys during the day asking them to review parts of testimony.
This is the Lewiston man’s second trial in the stabbing death of Bates College senior Morgan McDuffee in a street brawl three years ago. Thongsavanh, 22, is accused of knifing McDuffee several times in the back and stomach, then delivering a fatal blow to the heart.
The jury in his first trial found him guilty after three hours of deliberations. That verdict was later tossed on the grounds of jury bias.
For the second trial, which has lasted three weeks, the venue was changed from Androscoggin County to Cumberland County due to heavy media coverage.
The jury had the case for one hour Tuesday after closing arguments. The judge warned jurors to avoid news accounts of the trial.
Jurors are expected to resume deliberations today.
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