George Huguely Trial Jury Deliberations: Will He Go Free? - East Idaho News
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George Huguely Trial Jury Deliberations: Will He Go Free?

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GETTY N 110211 LawGavelCourt?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1329854109795Hemera/Thinkstock(CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.) — On Wednesday, jurors in former University of Virginia lacrosse player George Huguely V’s murder trial will begin deliberations to decide the 24-year-old’s fate — and two legal experts have told ABC News that it is possible that Huguely could be free by the end of the week.

Huguely faces six charges, including first-degree murder, in the death of former girlfriend Yeardley Love. He pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

Though charged with first-degree murder, a Charlottesville, Va., judge gave jurors a menu of lesser charges to choose from: second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter. He could also be found not guilty.

Neither the prosecution nor the defense denies that Huguely was in Yeardley’s room the night of her death and was involved in some altercation with her. They differ on the severity of the encounter and whether Huguely was directly and intentionally responsible for Love’s death.

Depending on the jury’s verdict, Huguely could be sentenced to anywhere from one day to life in prison.

Huguely has been in jail for about 21 months and could get credit for time served, so a sentencing of anywhere up to roughly 21 months could allow him to go free.

The jury is made up of 14 people: 12 main jurors and two alternates. There are seven women and seven men, ranging from their late 20s to early 50s.

Court will reconvene at 9 a.m. on Wednesday for the jury to being their deliberations. The two alternates will be released Wednesday morning.

Jurors could reach a verdict as early as Wednesday. If the verdict is guilty, the jurors will reconvene as early as Thursday for a sentencing hearing.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

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