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Breaking News

Carruth Jurors Split On All Four Charges

Aired January 18, 2001 - 12:23 p.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR: There's been a development in the Rae Carruth murder trial. He's the former wide receiver for the NFL's Carolina Panthers.

Nick Charles joins us from Charlotte with the very latest -- Nick.

NICK CHARLES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jeanne, this jury's deliberated nearly twelve hours in the course of over three days. And they have come back and told the judge just moments ago that they are at an impasse.

They have discussed every charge. There are four charges against Rae Carruth: first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, firing into an unoccupied vehicle, and attempting to destroy an unborn child.

Carruth is accused of orchestrating and taking part in the murder of his -- the shooting and murder of his -- of his girlfriend, who was eight months pregnant with a baby who was delivered prematurely and is now a year old.

What this means is that the -- they are at an impasse, and they can't arrive -- that they can't reach a verdict on any count at this point.

And they went back to the judge and essentially told them, what are we doing now? What do we do next?

I spoke with the defend attorney, David Rudolph, and he said this is no triumph for him, inferring here that a hung jury would do him no good. He is being looking for acquittal.

The DA had no comment on these developments. But after the lunch break at 1:30 Eastern time here in Charlotte, the judge will urge the jurors, the twelve -- the seven men and five women to go back and deliberate and try to listen to the evidence and listen to their fellow jurors and try to arrive at a verdict here.

But this one -- this case has reached an impasse here in Charlotte.

MESERVE: Nick, have we got any idea why they reached this dead end? What are the points of contention amongst the jurors? CHARLES: Well, it would seem, once again, the solid case from the prosecution side would be the 911 call by Cherica Adams, the victim. It seemed clear to most observers that she pointed the finger directly at Rae Carruth, as did co-defendant Michael Kennedy, who, without a plea arrangement with the state testified against Carruth. So the state thought it had a very solid case.

Points of argument in debate was nobody ever specifically put Carruth at the scene of the murder, other than the 911 call, which again the state thought was damning evidence against the defendant.

But again, the jury came back yesterday about 24 hours ago, and asked to look at charts and shots of the murder scene, and look at Cherica Adams' vehicle after four shots had been pumped into her.

And they were out 15 minutes in the open courtroom looking at this. That's the only evidence that -- on view publicly that we saw. But we did see a glimpse at the -- at the jury proceedings, as they were going on.

And then they went back into the jury room. And -- so nobody really knows if it's a black hole, Jeanne, once they go back there. Nobody knows who's taken charge or how split even, if they are split evenly down the middle, if people can be swayed.

But it seems as if this is really -- when they call it an impasse, it definitely imply -- implies to a lot of people -- the inference would be that this is a deadlock at this point, perhaps split down the middle.

MESERVE: Nick Charles, thank you. And we'll be back to you later today...

CHARLES: OK.

MESERVE: ... to find out what happens after the judge to the jurors and they try again.

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