The seventh day of deliberations in the Manhattan “cleaver slay” trial ended without a verdict today — and with a jury on the verge of mistrial.
Jurors sent out a deadlock note late in the day, but were told to return tomorrow morning to continue deciding the fate of David Tarloff, the cleaver-swinging schizophrenic who admittedly killed a psychologist in her Upper East Side office.
Tarloff, a 45-year-old former cabbie and telemarketer from Forest Hills, Queens, is hoping to be found not guilty by reason of insanity.
The four-man, eight-woman jury have been deliberating so contentiously, that their shouts could be heard through the closed deliberations room door from the front rows of the courtroom.
“We are deadlocked and have been throughout deliberations,” read their last note of the day, sent out at 3:35 p.m.
Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Edward McLaughlin told jurors to remain flexible, apply common sense, and keep at it. Jurors appeared tired, their faces strained, as they left the courtroom.
It is the second distress note sent out by the jury. The second day of deliberations had ended with one juror writing to the judge that, “Due to other jurors and their negative attitudes… I would rather go home and be removed from this case.”
“What can I tell you. We’ll be here tomorrow,” said Mike Faughey, 53, the brother of victim Dr. Kathryn Faughey, 56.
“We thought for sure it would be over today, one way or another,” said another brother, Owen Faughey, 60.
Tarloff faces life in prison if convicted of murder, and an indefinite term in a locked psychiatric facility if found not responsible by reason of insanity.