Jury deliberating in deadly restaurant fight case

The jury is deliberating in the murder trial of Terry Thompson. The jury can consider lesser charges of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide as well as murder for Thompson.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys presented their closing arguments on Thursday.

 

Thompson's defense attorney spent much of Wednesday picking apart a prosecution witness' testimony. Dr. William Smock had testified that the hold Thompson placed around Johnny Hernandez's neck would by definition put Hernandez's life in danger.

Defense attorneys showed videos demonstrating that law enforcement agencies teach and use the lateral vascular neck restraint or LVNR when faced with deadly force. The defense also got the doctor to admit that legally speaking Hernandez's punch to Thompson's eye amounted to deadly force. The doctor said when applied a LVNR causes loss of consciousness in under ten seconds. Thompson had Hernandez in the hold for roughly 15 minutes.

The family and activists say there is one fact that speaks loudly for itself. Hernandez is dead. Thompson is not.

"What happened to the son could happen to someone else. He should not be walking around on the streets," said Hernandez through an interpreter.

Hernandez's sister Jasmine says "My concern is that he’s not going to be found guilty if any reason. But I’m positive that he will be found guilty of murder."