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Jury delivers verdict in murder trial |
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Thursday, 24 April 2008 |
 | Sargeant
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by ANNE BAKER
News Reporter
by JEFF KOEHLER
Intern News Reporter
Jurors convicted Neil Matthew Sargeant, who is on trial for the first-degree murder of Appalachian State University student Stephen W. Harrington, of multiple charges Tuesday and Wednesday, including the charge of first-degree murder on the basis of malice, premeditation and deliberation Wednesday morning.
At 5 p.m. Tuesday, after hours of deliberation, the jury unanimously convicted Sargeant guilty of first-degree murder on the basis of lying in wait, first-degree murder on the basis of felony murder rule, robbery with a dangerous weapon, first-degree kidnapping, and burning of personal property.
After
the foreman delivered the jury’s premeditation verdict Wednesday,
Superior Court Judge Ronald K. Payne asked each juror individually to
confirm his or her decision in the verdict.
All jurors replied they assented to the verdict.
At the request of Harrington’s family, the prosecution will not present aggravating circumstances in the case.
Prosecuting attorney Gerald W. Wilson said the family told him “nothing will bring their son back.”
Sentencing will occur today at 10 a.m.
Since aggravating factors will not be introduced, the jury will not play a role in the sentencing.
Between the hours of 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Tuesday, the jury deliberated,
returning to the courtroom at various points to ask the judge to
clarify legal concepts individually such as acting in concert,
dangerous weapon, intent and technical descriptions of the charges
involved.
Payne also explained to the jury the distinction between first-degree murder by premeditation and second-degree murder.
He asked the jury members to reiterate their verdicts Wednesday morning
due to problems with recording when the original verdicts were
delivered at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
The jury reiterated all original unanimous guilty verdicts.
Prior to the conviction, the defense attempted to move for a mistrial, but Payne denied the motion.
Harrington was discovered dead in his car trunk on Nov. 8, 2005.
He had been bound, his face wrapped with duct tape, and his body burned.
The coroner ruled Harrington’s death was caused by asphyxiation.
Sargeant’s trial is the second of three trials involving Harrington’s murder.
The first defendant, Kyle Quentin Triplett, was sentenced to 40 years in prison without the possibility of parole.
The trial of Matthew Brandon Dalrymple, the third defendant in Harrington’s murder, is scheduled for later this year.
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