San Antonio juror visited crime scene at 5 a.m. — so killer’s lawyer asked for new trial

CaptionCloseAfter Demond Franklin, 31, was found guilty of capital murder last December and sentenced to life in prison for a robbery-related killing, his lawyer asked for a new trial.A juror had decided to visit the crime scene at 5 a.m. to see if the nighttime...

San Antonio juror visited crime scene at 5 a.m. — so killer’s lawyer asked for new trial

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After Demond Franklin, 31, was found guilty of capital murder last December and sentenced to life in prison for a robbery-related killing, his lawyer asked for a new trial.

A juror had decided to visit the crime scene at 5 a.m. to see if the nighttime lighting matched the courtroom testimony. Then he shared his information with other jurors. It was exactly what the judge had told jurors not to do.

Franklin was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison for killing Deandre Thompson, 20, in October 2014.

On Friday, a judge rejected the motion for a new trial.

But the curious juror’s unapproved fact-finding mission had the courthouse talking. Read the whole story at ExpressNews.com or in Saturday’s Express-News.

bselcraig@express-news.net

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