Jury breaks for day in ND murder trial
Jury deliberations will resume Friday in the trial of an Oklahoma City handyman accused of beating a Fargo dentist to death with a hammer.
Michael Nakvinda is charged with intentional homicide in the October 2009 death of Philip Gattuso. Authorities believe Gattuso's father-in-law hired Nakvinda to kill Gattuso.
Attorneys spent Thursday morning clashing over whether the mostly circumstantial evidence presented was enough to secure a conviction before the case was handed to the jury.
Jurors deliberated for just under four hours before breaking for the day. They'll reconvene at 9 a.m. on Friday.
Defense attorney Steven Mottinger said in his closing argument that there's no DNA or fingerprint evidence linking Nakvinda to the crime. Prosecutor Birch Burdick asked jurors to use common sense.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.