Williams trial jury ends day without decision

The first day of deliberations Thursday in the Naeem Williams death penalty trial was briefly interrupted as the judge responded to a question jurors sent the court in a note.

The federal jury tasked with deciding whether former Schofield Barracks soldier Williams lives or dies for killing his 5-year-old daughter Talia went home without making a decision.

Williams, 34, is facing a possible death sentence for killing the girl in their military family quarters at Wheeler Army Airfield in 2005 after months of torture.

Jurors received the case after listening to closing arguments Friday but deliberated only long enough that afternoon to select their foreman.

U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright interrupted their deliberations Thursday and called the jurors into the courtroom to respond to a question they sent in a note.

The jurors wanted clarification on what writing "yes" next to a proposed mitigating factor on their "special findings form" would mean.

Seabright told the jurors that "yes" would mean that they found the defense had proved the proposed mitigating factor. He told them what weight, if any, they give it is up to each individual juror.

Defense lawyers gave the jurors a list of 149 mitigating factors they hope weigh in favor of a life prison sentence for Williams. Prosecutors gave jurors seven aggravating factors to consider.

Before jurors vote life or death, they are required to indicate on the special findings form whether the lawyers had proved each of the aggravating and mitigating factors.