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Jury deliberation continues in King murder trial

King faces 2 first-degree murder charges in 2018 shooting

NEVADA — “If we don’t reach a decision, what is our end time?” the jury asked the court just after deliberation resumed Tuesday morning.

The 12-member jury, which met from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, will continue deliberating today to reach a verdict on the two first-degree murder charges facing Tanner King, of Fort Dodge.

King’s murder charges stem from the Oct. 22, 2018, shooting of El Dominic and Marion Rhodes, whose bodies were found in an alley behind his former apartment building at Third Avenue North and Ninth Street.

“(That question) is troubling this early,” lead defense attorney Paul Rounds said to co-counsel as they waited for the judge.

“You should deliberate until you reach a decision. There is no deadline,” state and defense attorneys responded.

Tuesday was the 13th day over four calendar weeks the jury was in court. By the end of Tuesday, they had gone about nine hours without a unanimous decision.

If the jury is ultimately unable to reach a unanimous verdict — a hung jury — the weeks spent trying King would result in a mistrial. In that case, King’s trial would start all over again with a new jury.

Jurors are now isolated throughout the day, a change of pace from their routine for the last 12 days — lunch is brought to their quarters and cell phones are confiscated for the day. At their request, they are allowed to access phones during lunch.

Tuesday afternoon, they asked to listen to another piece of evidence again: Margaret Seiler’s initial call to police.

Seiler was the state’s eye witness who said she saw King running down the street with a gun in his left hand less than three minutes after hearing shots the night of the murders.

“He was running — like sprinting — like he was trying to win a damn race,” they heard her say again in the short call.

About half of the jurors leaned forward intently to listen to the call as it was played again.

“Would you recognize him if you saw him again?” Detective Larry Hedlund, of the Fort Dodge Police Department, asked her in the call.

“Maybe,” she said.

Seiler subsequently called FDPD to tell them they arrested the right person after reports of the arrest and King’s mugshot were publicized. King has conceded that Seiler saw him that night, but has denied other details she provided: the pace he was moving at, the clothes he was wearing and what was in his hand.

The wheels of justice will resume movement today, if at a glacial pace.

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