Local News

MIAMI (CBS4) ― After day three of deliberations, a federal jury in Miami hasn't reached a verdict in the trial of a one of the men accused of kidnapping and murdering the captain and crew of the charter boat Joe Cool.

The panel reconvened Wednesday, and at about 10:45 a.m., they requested several exhibits, but by Thursday evening they hadn't reached a verdict. The judge ordered them to reconvene for deliberations Monday morning.

There does appear to be some confusion for the jury reaching a verdict, as they asked to see some of the exhibits presented in the case.

Among the exhibits jurors requested: records detailing how Guillermo Zarabozo, 20, and Kirby Archer, 36, checked into several local hotels including one on Miami Beach days prior to the hijacking of the Joe Cool; records of other telephone calls made by Archer; photographs of the boat at sea after the killings.

Jurors also requested the transcript of the testimony by Carlos Mulet, a Hialeah mechanic, who introduced Zarabozo to Archer and had first been recruited to help them steal a boat.

Mulet testified last week that he knew of the plot but did not take part in it. When on the stand, he told jurors he was ''the only other person'' besides Zarabozo and Archer who knew of their plan. Mulet said Zarabozo believed the hijacking was necessary to secure a 'mysterious big job' that Archer had promised him. Mulet said Archer, who had been a military policeman in the Army, claimed he had connections with the CIA and had promised Zarabozo he could get him a one million dollar security job in the Bahamas. Mulet said he initially went along with the pair because he thought Archer's CIA connections could help him clear up his bad traffic record which had kept him from getting insurance. In the end, Mulet said, he decided not to accompany the pair because it meant that he have had to leave town and his family.

During closing arguments on Tuesday, prosecutors told the jury Zarabozo and Archer chartered the boat a year ago for their phony trip to the Bahamas. Prosecutor Karen Gilbert said in reality the two men intended to hijack the boat and ultimately sail to Cuba because Archer was under investigation in Arkansas for theft and child sexual abuse.

Defense attorneys argued that Zarabozo was an unwitting participant in the crime and it was Archer who masterminded the hijacking and committed the murders. Archer, who has already pleaded guilty to the crimes, will be sentenced next month.

Taking the stand in his own defense on Monday, Zarabozo testified he was in the boat's bathroom when he heard shots and commotion. When he came out, he saw Archer holding Zarabozo's gun.

Zarabozo said Kirby ordered him at gunpoint to help throw the Joe Cool crew members' bodies overboard and clean up the blood. He insisted he only helped throw the bodies overboard because he was scared that Archer would kill him. Prosecutors say his testimony often contradicted prior statements he made to the FBI about the fateful voyage.

Both Archer and Zarabozo face life in prison.

Zarabozo faces charges of Kidnapping, Robbery and Murder. The jury may convict him of first degree murder, second degree murder or felony murder.

Other events on Thursday may have interrupted deliberations as well. In one case the mother of one juror died, but she said she wanted to continue without the judge persuading her to do so. In the second case, one juror was heard saying he couldn't stay there anymore. However, when the judge asked him why, he said he had to go to a meeting. The judge told him his request could not be accommodated.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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