Steele's fate in the jury's hands

DADE CITY -- The fate of Alfredie Steele Jr., accused of gunning down Pasco sheriff's Lt. Charles "Bo" Harrison in 2003, was placed in the hands of a jury of 10 women and two men at 3:03 p.m. Thursday.

"It's your duty to return a verdict for the highest offense allowed," Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney Bernie McCabe told the jurors as he delivered the state's rebuttal to the defense's closing argument.

Steele, 23, is charged with first-degree murder, which implies he acted with premeditation and can carry the death penalty. He made several recorded confessions implicating himself in Harrison's death.

The defense argued intent, that Steele did not intend to kill anyone when he fired his SKS rifle at the deputy's cruiser the night of June 1, 2003. Rather, Steele intended to scare. The defense asked the jury to return a verdict on a lesser murder charge, one that only carries a prison sentence.

-- JAMAL THALJI