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In this week's issue of the Chronicle, you will find information pertaining to the case that has been known in this area for almost a year.
It's one thing to hear about the case, and it's also another thing to see the case firsthand. The Dodgeville Chronicle sat in the front row, and watched the case unfold until Friday evening.
I have reported on a few court cases in the past year, but this case was my first jury trial. Here are a few things I learned after witnessing it all.
1) There are two sides to every story. That is the basis to any conflict, no matter how big or small. Witnesses that took the stand, all had something to say. No matter which side they are on, it is their duty to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
2) Listening to the evidence: While there may have been much publication that took place prior to the jury trial, the final decision came down to listening to the evidence. While background in the case was published in our papers, the evidence exhibited in the case is what determines a verdict, or lack thereof, in this case.
3) It takes a village. There are many people involved when it comes to preparing for a jury trial. In order for a trial to take place, a charge must be filed. Then a defense attorney must be selected along with a judge who will preside in the case. Then there of course are the jurors. The ball is in the jury's court. It is the jury's responsibility to look at the evidence given in testimony and put their personal thoughts aside and uphold the laws of the land.
4) It is not quite finished. The judge has declared a mistrial. The reason being is that jurors were not able to come to a unanimous decision in order to reach a verdict. A mistrial does happen, and the jurors did their best to come to a compromise. However, a defendant is presumed innocent until evidence showed them otherwise. If there is any reasonable doubt in a case, then it makes a case harder. But that doesn't mean a trial is over. It just means that a case must go back to the drawing board and figure out the next steps.
There are things that we cannot argue in this case: Someone used a gun, a gun was shot, and the shot took someone's life. And that's why the case happened. The next steps taken will be very important: to determine a young man's guilt or innocence, and making the steps to help all involved make their way towards healing. Everyone in court did their part, and a part well handled.