Blankenship Jury Resumes Today Without A Verdict

In a motion filed Wednesday, prosecutors in the Don Blankenship trial asked U.S. District Judge Irene Berger to read another set of instructions if jurors come back deadlocked. They have twice indicated they can’t agree, including once Tuesday. The prosecutors want the judge to give the jurors guidance similar to what she told them Tuesday, which was that there’s no reason to believe a new trial would offer better evidence or field a better jury. They would also encourage jurors in the minority to consider the majority’s view, and vice versa, without giving up a conscientious conviction, and would tell jurors to keep in mind the value of a unanimous verdict. The jury was dismissed early on Wednesday after sending a note to the judge about the juror’s illness. Jurors will return Thursday morning to continue deliberating.