Jury Deliberation In Kenneth Duckett Trial Continues For A Third Day

The jury in the murder trial of Kenneth Duckett continued deliberations Wednesday as they asked that testimony of two witnesses be read back to them in court. The jury also asked for the legal definition of aggravated manslaughter.

Duckett, 39, of Orange, is accused of killing Monica Paul, 31, at a Montclair YMCA on June 26, 2008, in front of their two children. He is charged with murder.

Paul had brought her and Duckett's then-four-year-old son, Noah, to the YMCA for swim lessons. Their then-11-year-old daughter, Essence, was in the pool's observation room with Paul when she was shot.

Wednesday was the second day of deliberations that jurors asked for a re-reading of testimony. On Tuesday, jurors asked that the testimony of three key witnesses and Duckett be read.

The read backs asked for on Wednesday included testimony from Adam Wells and Natasha Richardson, both witnesses who claimed they saw the shooting.

Wells, a swim instructor at the YMCA, said he heard a "loud bang" and a series of thuds." He also said he saw a "silver pistol with blue and orange flames."

Richardson, a lifeguard at the YMCA, said she heard an argument between a man and a woman shortly before hearing windows shattering from gunfire. Richardson also said she saw Paul's body before it was covered by authorities.

New Jersey Superior Court Judge Joseph Cassini III then informed the jury that, "A person is guilty of aggravated manslaughter if (he/she) recklessly causes the death of another person under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to human life."

The jury will continue deliberations Thursday beginning at 9 a.m. If jurors don't reach a verdict, they won't be able to reconvene again until January 3.