Faith Hedgepeth Murder Trial: No Verdict Yet as Jury Asks for the DNA and Fingerprint Reports

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: All right. Ms. Constantino, are you good? Let the record reflect. The defendant is back in the courtroom. It's almost 5 o'clock. However, I do believe we have a question. Thank you, Chair. I'm going to label this court's exhibit number 3. Thank you. All right. The question reads, "Could we have the latent print and DNA lab report summaries that were accepted into evidence?" Signed by the jury firm person on today's date. First, Madam D.A.s and Mr. D.A. and Mr. Ringsford, Mr. Murphy. Do you need to see the note? [00:00:58] Mr. Rainsford: No, Your Honor. [00:01:00] Speaker 1: No, Your Honor. All right. All right. Now, thank you. We will address the issue as far as dealing with it tomorrow, but let me inquire. Madam D.A., the latent print and the DNA lab report. What exhibit numbers were those? We're looking right now. Okay. Great. Your phone. Thank you, Sheriff. [00:01:34] Speaker ?: Thank you. [00:02:04] Mr. Rainsford: Your Honor, it should be States Exhibits 106, 107, 109, 112, 117, 122, 130, 133, 134, 135, and 138. [00:02:32] Speaker 1: All right. So those are the exhibits that would consist of the latent prints and the DNA lab report summaries. Is that correct, Madam Dia? [00:02:45] Mr. Rainsford: Yes, Your Honor. [00:02:45] Speaker 1: All right. Now, that being said, what is the state's position when we deal with this tomorrow? What is the state's position as far as a request? [00:02:55] Mr. Rainsford: The state is happy to send it back to the deliberation room if that's what the court wants to do. [00:03:01] Speaker 1: Well, let me inquire of the defense. What is the defense? What is your position, Mr. Rainsford? [00:03:08] Mr. Rainsford: I don't object when the jury wants to see evidence, Your Honor. [00:03:11] Speaker 1: All right. Well, there is statute, as the parties are aware of, that both parties have to consent in order for an exhibit to be sent back into the jury room. So I would allow for that with the caveat. I would make the foreperson aware that the jurors cannot write on the exhibits, cannot alter the exhibits, bend or fold the exhibits, but that they would be allowed to review those exhibits. It would be my intention to let them know that this afternoon, that they would be aware that tomorrow morning they'll be able to take those exhibits back with them into the courtroom with my instructions as far as not altering the exhibits and so forth. But that would be my intention, the objection, Madam Dia? No, Your Honor. And Mr. Rainsford. [00:03:57] Mr. Rainsford: Not to that, Your Honor. I thought states 101 and 102 were also lab reports. Let me look, Your Honor. [00:04:07] Speaker 1: Sure. [00:04:12] Mr. Rainsford: Is that right? Yes. Thank you, Mr. Rainsford. Yes, Your Honor. States exhibits 101 and 102 are also lab reports. [00:04:20] Speaker 1: Okay. Well, what I would do is let the jury know that tomorrow morning we will allow for them to take those exhibits. If the parties will make sure you confer with the clerk just to make sure you have the right exhibit numbers and so forth. But tomorrow morning I would allow for that. Thank you, Your Honor. Any concerns? [00:04:38] Mr. Rainsford: No, not from the state. No, Your Honor. [00:04:40] Speaker 1: All right. Now it's not my intention to bring. Hold on one moment. Hold on one moment. All right. Thank you, Sheriff. All right. Madam Dia, you ready for me to bring the jury back in? Yes, Your Honor. Thank you. And Mr. Rainsford? Yes, Your Honor. All right. And Sheriff, we can bring the jury back in. Yes, Your Honor. Thank you. And while we're doing that, just so you know, the alternates, they'll be released separately. The Sheriff is going to go ahead and take care of that and remind them to come back tomorrow morning at 9.30 to the designated area. And I'm just going to go ahead and take care of that and remind them to come back in. [00:06:07] Speaker ?: And I'm going to go ahead and take care of that and I'm going to go ahead and take care of that and remind them to come back in. And I'm going to go ahead and take care of that and remind them to come back in. And I'm going to go ahead and take care of that and remind them to come back in. And I'm going to go ahead and take care of that and remind them to come back in. And I'm going to go ahead and take care of that and remind them to come back in. And I'm going to go ahead and take care of that and remind them to come back in. And I'm going to go ahead and take care of that and remind them to come back in. And I'm going to go ahead and take care of that and remind them to come back in. And I'm going to go ahead and take care of that and remind them to come back in. [00:06:25] Speaker 1: And I'm going to go ahead and take care of that and remind them to come back in and remind them to come back in. Let the record reflect the jury is back in the courtroom. Mr. Jury Number 11, sir, if you'll stand. I'm going to ask you a few questions. I just simply want you to answer the questions that I asked you. Once again, you are the jury for a person, jury number 11, is that correct? Yes. Has the jury reached the verdict? No. Have you placed the verdict forms back inside of the verdict package? Yes. Did you bring the verdict package out with you? Yes. Will you pass that to the sheriff, please? Thank you. Thank you, sir. Thank you. And let the record reflect. Thank you, Sheriff. You can have to see. Let the record reflect the court is passing the verdict package back to Madam Clark. All right. I have a note that I've labeled court's exhibit number three. It reads as follows. Could we have the latent print and DNA lab report summaries that were accepted into evidence, to sign the jury for a person on October 22nd of 2026? Let the record reflect on passing court's exhibit three to Madam Clark. All right. What I'm going to do is I am going to send you home now, but I want to make sure you are aware that tomorrow morning those exhibits will be made available. I'm going to allow for you to take those exhibits back with you into the jury room with the caveat that you cannot write on the exhibits. You cannot alter the exhibits in any way. You can't bend or fold the paper, but the attorneys have agreed that you'll be able to have those exhibits back with you in your deliberations. So tomorrow morning we'll have those prepared. And then when I send you back into the jury room, I'll have the sheriff pass you the verdict packet and the exhibits Mr. Foreperson. At this time everyone else remain seated. I'm going to remind you, other than law enforcement, I will remind you that over the evening you can't call each other and deliberate. You can call each other and talk about other things, but you just can't talk about this case when you can't deliberate. At this time everyone else remain seated as the jury leaves. The courtroom, you'll leave, I think you brought the new pads out. You can leave those in your chairs and they'll be available for you tomorrow. Have a great evening. Thank you. Thank you. Be safe. Let the record reflect the jury has left the courtroom. I also informed the sheriff to release the alternates and they will return tomorrow, as I said, in their designated location. Any concerns about anything, Madam D.A.? No, Your Honor. [00:09:51] Mr. Rainsford: Thank you. [00:09:52] Speaker 1: And Mr. Rainsford. [00:09:53] Mr. Rainsford: No, Your Honor. [00:09:54] Speaker 1: All right. We'll return promptly tomorrow morning at 9:30. And as I said, let the lawyers just make sure you talk to the clerk maybe early tomorrow morning or just to make sure you have the correct exhibits so we can have those ready to go. Sheriff, we're good until 9:30 tomorrow. Yes, sir. It's recess tomorrow morning at 9:30. Everybody have a great evening.