Daniel Sanchez trial: Jury still deliberating, indicates they are deadlocked

AUSTIN, Texas - The jury set to decide Austin Police Officer Daniel Sanchez’s fate has indicated they are deadlocked. 

Sanchez is facing a deadly conduct charge for the shooting death of tech entrepreneur Raj Moonesinghe.

What we know:

The jury deliberated for about six hours on Friday before breaking for the weekend. They came back and continued deliberating at 9 a.m. Monday morning.

After a combined 10 hours of deliberating, the jury indicated they were deadlocked. 

On Monday afternoon, the judge issued an Allen charge, also known as a Dynamite charge, which is routine practice.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE

• Daniel Sanchez trial: Jury begins deliberations on Day 6
• Daniel Sanchez trial: Defense's use-of-force expert testifies on Day 5
• Daniel Sanchez trial: 3 APD officers, chief of staff take stand on day 4
• Daniel Sanchez trial: Victim's mother testifies; state rests its case on day 3
• Daniel Sanchez trial: Retired police officer, use-of-force expert testifies in day 2
• Trial for APD officer who shot, killed man in 2022 begins

"You are instructed that it is your duty to decide the case if you can conscientiously do so," Judge Karen Sage told the jury.

What's next:

This case still does not have a verdict.

Dig deeper:

Defense Attorney Doug O’Connell knows how this goes. He represented former Austin Police Officer Christopher Taylor in the 2020 shooting death of Michael Ramos.

In 2023, Taylor was tried for murder, but a jury deadlocked.

"What that charge does is tell the jury I heard you tell me you’re deadlocked, but your instructions are to go back into the jury room and continue deliberating and try to reach a verdict," O’Connell said.

When asked how effective the charge is, he said: "That all depends on the facts of the case and where the jury is in terms of their split, why they aren’t at a unanimous decision," O’Connell said. "Its certainly the first milestone in what could lead to either a verdict or a mistrial."

The murder case O’Connell represented Taylor in resulted in a mistrial.