Meechaiel Criner's attorneys say jury deliberation was compromised, asking for new trial

AUSTIN, Texas - According to jurors, the trial for Haruka Weiser was nothing short of grueling.

Back in July, Fox-7 interviewed a juror shortly after the guilty verdict was read.

"Sleep has not been good to us but we all took it as a very serious responsibility. It's an emotionally intense process obviously it gone on for several days,” said the juror.

Haruka's father, Dr. Thomas Weiser addressed his daughter's killer shortly after the verdict.

"You killed my daughter, brutally raped her and then you mercilessly killed her and I can see that the truth of that means nothing to you," said Weiser.

Now, there is a possibility Haruka's family may have to go through the same process all over again. Meechaiel Criner's attorneys will appear in court Wednesday. They filed a motion for a new trial.

They say a jury member admitted he had done research on the internet regarding the case. He also allegedly looked up steps to take to reach a verdict.  He then wrote down those steps and laid them out to the jury. 

One juror said that she may have made a different decision, had she not been "bullied." At the time, the juror Fox 7 interviewed felt confident in the verdict.

"The total picture with everything combined it told the story that pointed to the defendant as the killer," the juror said.

Criner's lawyers say this guilty verdict was determined in a manner other than fair expression and they think a new trial is the way to go. If the judge grants it, Criner could have a chance of becoming a free man.