DEDHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - Jury deliberations are set to continue next Wednesday after the third day of deliberations did not yield a verdict in the trial of a man accused of killing a Weymouth police officer and an innocent bystander in 2018.
The now-25-year-old Emanuel Lopes is on trial for shooting and killing Weymouth police Sgt. Michael Chesna and innocent bystander 77-year-old Vera Adams who was sitting on her sun porch in July of 2018.
Prosecutors said the murders were deliberate, and the defense said Lopes is not guilty by reason of insanity.
“This case is not about sympathy for Mr. Lopes, it’s just about understanding what happened that day,” defense attorney Larry Tipton said. “It’s about conduct that was not logical, rational, or based in reality.”
After two and a half weeks of testimony including dozens of witnesses and piles of evidence, attorneys have put the case in the hands of the jury.
Other than a brief request for additional medical records for Lopes, which was denied by the judge, jurors were behind closed doors for four hours Friday before leaving the courthouse without reaching a verdict.
It’s been a grueling three weeks for the slain sergeant’s family who sat through, at times, graphic testimony, anxious for a verdict, something the DA was here to see too.
“I don’t read anything, I don’t listen to anything,” Norfolk County DA Michael Morrissey said. “I’m just hoping for everybody’s sake for both the defendant and the families, we hope we can reach a conclusion in a reasonable period of time.”
After ten hours of deliberations over three days without reaching a verdict, deliberations will resume with an alternate juror who will replace another juror being excused for a pre-planned vacation.
“They waited this long for justice, they are very patient people and they are great to work with so I am very fortunate to have people who are so understanding that the wheel of justice sometimes turn slowly,” Morrissey said.
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