Waiting for a verdict

DADE CITY -- The victim's family, the Harrison family, sits outside in the courthouse atrium.

Inside the Pasco County Courthouse, the crowd is divided into two sides: on one side sits the defendant's family, Steele's family; on the other side sits another family, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

Outside, television news trucks are lined up, waiting for a verdict.

Extra deputies are on patrol everywhere. Even the Dade City Police Department sent over extra officers, just in case.

A nervous tension hangs over everyone.

Dozens hang on a sign, any sign, from the jury of 10 women and two men charged with the task of judging Alfredie Steele Jr.

His lawyers have conceded what his own numerous recorded confessions revealed: that Steele pulled the trigger in the June 2003 sniper-style slaying of Pasco sheriff's Lt. Charles "Bo" Harrison. But the defense also says Steele never intended to kill or hurt anyone.

The state told the jury it was a premeditated act for which they should return a guilty verdict on the maximum charge possible: first-degree murder, which carries the death penalty.

Their discussions started at 3:03 p.m. and pressed into a fifth hour Thursday evening.

Another note from the jury room made its way to Senior Circuit Judge Robert Beach at 5:52 p.m. This time the jury had a serious question: what was the time and date that Steele recorded an apology to the Harrison family with his cousin Nathaniel Vanzant?

"What do you want to do?" Assistant Public Defender Tom Hanlon asked the state.

"What do you want to do?" Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney Bernie McCabe responded.

Hanlon turned to the judge: "I asked you first."

Both sides agreed: the jury would be told the audio recording was made between Steele's first videotaped confession to detectives and his second.

And the wait continues at the Steele trial.

-- JAMAL THALJI, MOLLY MOORHEAD