John Jonchuck murder trial coming to a close
CLEARWATER, Fla. (FOX 13) - The jury deliberated for a couple of hours after closing arguments in John Jonchuck's murder trial.
Just before 7 p.m. Monday, they called it a day. The jury will return at 9 a.m. Tuesday and will continue the process of trying to decide if Jonchuck was insane when he threw his daughter to her death.
Jonchuck pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the death of his 5-year-old daughter, Phoebe, who was thrown off the Dick Misener Bridge in 2015.
After three weeks of testimony, both sides spent Monday making their final appeals to jurors. Prosecutors contend Jonchuck killed his daughter out of anger and revenge, wanting to hurt people -- like his mother and Phoebe's mother -- whom he believed had wronged him.
Defense attoneys say Jonchuck was insane when he killed Phoebe and that he believed the act would save the world.
Jurors got the case just after 4:30 p.m. Monday, April 15. They will have the option to convict him of first-degree or second-degree murder or manslaughter, or not guilty or not guilty by reason of insanity.
Previous coverage:
-Counselor rebuts expert witness on final day of Jonchuck trial
-Controversial psychologist testifies: 'Psychotic symptoms don’t work like that'
-Psychologist: If Jonchuck was insane, he would have died with Phoebe
-Jonchuck tells court he will not testify in his own defense
-Jonchuck defense rests, making way for prosecution rebuttal
-Trial resumes as Jonchuck again deemed competent
-Jonchuck murder trial pauses for psychological evaluation
-Forensic psychologist: When Jonchuck killed Phoebe, he was insane
-Concerned about his behavior, former Jonchuck lawyer called 911 hours before Phoebe's death
-Prosecutors rest case against John Jonchuck
-Jonchuck trial moves into its second day
-Sanity a key question as Jonchuck jury selection enters day 3