Tyler McQueen being escorted by Lawrence County Deputy Trent Masterson
LAWRENCE CO.—The ten-women/two-man jury in Lawrence County returned a verdict tonight, May 3, 2013, at 8 p.m. of First Degree Murder in the case of the Wabash County man accused of killing Bob Westall, 78, in his sister’s apartment March 24, 2012.
After about five hours of deliberation, the jury, selecting Laci Shafer as their foreperson, returned the verdict to the quiet weeping of McQueen’s mother, Karen. As Karen suffers from a heart condition, Lawrence County deputies had secured the services of paramedics from the Lawrence County Ambulance Service, who were stationed in the back of the courtroom.
Westall’s family (his widow Karen and two of their three children) wore expressions of relief when the verdict was read, but maintained their tense demeanor as they left the courthouse about an hour later.
The delay was attributed to the jury being sent back to the jury room to deliberate on whether there were brutal and heinous circumstances that would enhance the sentencing of the murder conviction. However, McQueen’s attorney, Matt Vaughn of Fairfield, pulled McQueen out of the courtroom, and within about a quarter-hour, they returned to advise Judge Robert Hopkins that they were going to waive McQueen’s right to have the jury decide brutal and heinous, and allow Hopkins to decide this at sentencing, which is set for June 20.
The jury was excused and ultimately, everyone filed out of the courtroom. We have audio interviews of many of those involved, and will be bringing you an extended newsblast in the morning including those. We’ll also have a review of the very interesting closing arguments, during which there was almost a mistrial…and which there still may arise a reversible error in favor of the defense. Be checking for these updates, and thanks for relying on Disclosure to bring you the best news coverage of murder trials in the area.