TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - The Latest on the trial of a U.S. Border Patrol agent charged in the fatal cross-border shooting of a teenager in Mexico. (all times local):
6 p.m.
Jurors in the second-degree murder trial of a U.S. Border Patrol agent charged with shooting across the border and killing a rock-throwing teenager in Mexico have ended their first day of deliberations in Arizona without reaching a verdict.
Panel members were seen Tuesday filing out of a door beside the courtroom where the trial of Agent Lonnie Swartz has played out over a month.
Deliberations are set to resume Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Tucson.
The jury on Tuesday heard a read-back of testimony by Swartz about his past encounters with rock throwers.
Prosecutors say Swartz killed 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez because he was “fed up” with rock throwers.
Defense attorneys say Swartz was justified to use lethal force and fired in self-defense.
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1:40 p.m.
Jurors deliberating in the trial of a U.S. Border Patrol agent charged with second-degree murder for killing a rock-throwing teenager across the border in Mexico are being read his earlier testimony about being targeted by rock throwers more than six times in the past.
The jury sat Tuesday afternoon in the open courtroom of U.S. District Judge Raner Collins as a clerk read back the testimony of agent Lonnie Swartz when he was questioned by the prosecution earlier this month.
Prosecutors say Swartz shot across the border and killed 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez because he was “fed up” with rock throwers.
Collins has told the jury that it can consider the charges of voluntary and involuntary manslaughter if it has difficulty reaching a verdict on the more serious charge.
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7 a.m.
Jurors in the trial of a U.S. Border Patrol agent charged with second-degree murder for shooting into Mexico and killing a teenager who had been throwing rocks across the border have been told they can consider a lesser charge against him when deciding their verdict.
District Judge Raner Collins told the jury they can downgrade the charge against agent Lonnie Swartz to voluntary or involuntary manslaughter after they begin deliberations at the U.S. District Court in Tucson Tuesday morning. Collins delivered his instructions late Monday after closing arguments.
Prosecutors acknowledged during the monthlong trial that 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez was throwing rocks from Nogales, Mexico, but say Swartz used an unreasonable amount of force.
Defense attorneys say Swartz was justified to use lethal force and fired in self-defense.
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