Monday, July 6, 2009

2:20 Update

Jurors unanimously find Jonell Lloyd guilty of 1st Degree Murder and child abuse. He will be sentenced on Aug. 19th.

Chavira Brown's mother, Jessica Jackson, cried quietly as the verdict was read. She shook hands with detectives and prosecutors after the judge dismissed court.

Lloyd did not appear to show any reaction as the verdict was read.

Look for updates on KAKE News this evening.

2:00 Update

Jurors have reached a verdict in the trial against Jonell Lloyd. Lloyd, 24, is accused of beating 18-month-old Chavira Brown last summer, leaving her body in trash bags and placing the remains in the attic of his home.

The verdict will be read aloud in court as soon as all parties can be notified. This typically takes about 15 minutes.

Jurors deliberated about 3 hours. Stay tuned to KAKE News and KAKE.com for the jury's verdict once it is announced.

Noon Update

Prosecutors and Lloyd's defense attorney spent almost an hour giving jurors their final arguments. Jury deliberations began about 11:00 this morning.

During her closing arguments, prosecutor Kim Parker called Lloyd's story of losing baby Chavira Brown outside his home "illogical" and "nonsensical." She told jurors his story changed repeatedly and that they should not believe his testimony.

Defense attorney Alice Osburn told jurors to question the credibility of the state's key witness. Lloyd's ex-girlfriend, Tameika Loudermilk, took the stand last week against him. She claimed to have seen Lloyd choking Brown the day the girl disappeared. But Loudermilk also denied knowing Lloyd or Brown when she was first interviewed by police. Osburn asked jurors to consider whether Loudermilk might have been involved with Brown's death.

Brown's mother, Jessica Jackson, cried quietly in the back of the courtroom as Parker recounted for jurors how the girl was beaten and stuffed into trash bags before being left to die in the attic of Lloyd and Loudermilk's home.

Stay with KAKE News and KAKE.com for more information, and a potential verdict later today.

10:00am Update

Today, jurors could decide the fate of a father accused of killing his 18-month-old daughter.

Jonell Lloyd, 24, is charged with first degree murder in the death of little Chavira Brown last summer. Her body was found in the attic of a home where Lloyd was staying on August 1, 2008. Prosecutors say she was severely beaten for soiling her diapers, then stuffed in a pillow case and trash bags before being placed in the attic. A medical examiner said the girl was likely still alive and suffocated over the course of several hours.

Lloyd took the stand in his own defense last week, saying he placed the girl outside while he cleaned the house, only to discover she was missing a short time later.

Attorneys on both sides will present their closing arguments to jurors this morning. Jury deliberations are expected to begin before lunch.