June 20, 2013

Judge rules against mistrial in Culpeper police-shooting case

BY: NAOMI JAGODA FEBRUARY 1, 2013 | 10:39 AM
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A judge on Friday decided not to declare a mistrial in the case of the former Culpeper police officer who was convicted of killing an unarmed woman, according to media reports.

Daniel Harmon-Wright, 33, was convicted Tuesday of voluntary manslaughter and other charges. Harmon-Wright had responded to a suspicious person call on Feb. 9, 2012 and fatally shot 54-year-old Patricia Cook while she was in a Jeep Wrangler.

The defense had asked Culpeper County Circuit Court Judge Susan Whitlock to declare a mistrial on Wednesday after two dictionaries were found in the jury room. Several jurors admitted that they looked up words such as "malice."

Because the mistrial motion was denied, the jury returned to court on Friday for sentencing proceedings.

njagoda@washingtonexaminer.com

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Naomi Jagoda

Staff reporter
The Washington Examiner

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