Burkheimer jury recesses until Monday
Published 9:00 pm Friday, June 18, 2004
A Snohomish County jury is scheduled to resume deliberations Monday in the case of an Everett man accused in the September 2002 death of Rachel Burkheimer.
Jurors met all day Friday without announcing a verdict in the case of John Alan Whitaker, 23. He is charged with aggravated murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Prosecutors say Whitaker belonged to a gang that came to view Burkheimer, 18, of Marysville as a threat. Whitaker is accused of participating in her kidnapping and helping dig a grave at the site of her killing.
Jurors began deliberating the case late Thursday. On Friday afternoon, they had questions for Judge Linda Krese about the law related to aggravating factors, in this case, kidnapping and robbery.
The jury must decide whether Whitaker is guilty of first-degree murder before considering aggravating factors, which are contained on a separate verdict form.
Whitaker faces an automatic sentence of life in prison if convicted of aggravated murder. First-degree murder without aggravating factors carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years.
