George Huguely Murder Trial: Jurors To Deliberate Following Closing Arguments

The fate of George Huguely will soon be in the hands of the jury.

Deliberations begin Wednesday after lawyers presented closing statements Saturday in the 24-year-old's first-degree murder trial. The former University of Virginia lacrosse player is accused of breaking into his girlfriend's bedroom in a drunken rage, smashing her head against the wall, and stealing her computer, before leaving her for dead.

Yeardley Love, who died on May 3, 2010, was just two weeks from graduation. She, too, played on the school's lacrosse team.

Prosecutor Warner "Dave" Chapman wept in open court as he addressed the jury, according to ABCNEWS.com

"She couldn't scream ... was it his hand over her mouth? Was it her face being mashed into the floor?"

The 6-foot-tall Huguely was 8 inches taller and more than 100 pounds heavier than the young woman he had dated for two years. Medical examiners for the prosecution testified that she died of blunt force trauma to the head.

The prosecutor reminded jurors of an email Huguely wrote to Love, telling her, "I should have killed you," after finding out that she was dating another man.

In her closing, defense lawyer Francis McQ. Lawrence admitted his client "bears responsibility" in Love's death, according to the Washington Post.

"He played a role in that, and he will take responsibility for it in a way you determine,” he said, suggesting jurors should consider the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter rather than premeditated murder.

"He contributed to her death but he did not kill her," Lawrence told the court.

"He's not calculating. He's a boy athlete."

Jurors can also opt to convict the defendant on second-degree murder, if they decide he acted with malice but without premeditation.

USA Today noted that Huguely, who had cried at earlier points, sat attentively but impassively.

The paper also noted that Virginia's women lacrosse team played its first game of the season Saturday, and that the number Love wore -- No. 1 -- is now retired.

VIRGINIA LACROSSE MURDER GALLERY

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly referred to Francis Lawrence as a female. We regret the error.

Comments

[hopalongmom]

06:05 PM on 03/09/2012

How could somebody that is over 100 pounds heavier and 8 inches taller than another person seriously believe they can hit them in the head, pound that same head against the wall and into the floor and believe that they were not going to hurt that person. Really? Come on! He knew he was out of control. Like a previous reader said, all he had to do was look at her to see what he did. He could have called 911, but he didn't. The damage had already been done. Give him the death penalty like he gave her.

[JTWallace]

05:30 PM on 03/08/2012

The leading cause of death of women.........................Men

[Tootsie56]

07:06 PM on 02/28/2012

Sad case all around. The jury will indeed be the decider's of his fate. I doubt it will be an easy task for them.

[rudymags]

04:59 PM on 02/28/2012

guilty.... die.

[zmanusmc]

11:33 AM on 02/27/2012

When the judge asked me if I believed in capital punishment, I simply replied, "Well, your honor, I am not sure but I love the smell of burning flesh at midnight." He didn't think I was funny. I wasn't.

[bmermaid]

12:45 AM on 02/22/2012

If Huguely walks, it'll be the same message to abusers all over the country as was sent when OJ Simpson walked free- you can get away with it.
As a former victim of abuse, this is very frightening. There but for the Grace of God go I.
When every abuser faces dire consequenses, that is when abuse stops, not before.

[Tootsie56]

07:09 PM on 02/28/2012

Bravo. You were lucky indeed and brave as well. With regard to Hugeley walking; that won't happen. Likely 25 to life. F&F

[proudloudlib]

03:36 PM on 02/21/2012

There is a possibility of involuntary manslaughter? Is that because he was drunk? Drunk shouldn't mitigate what he did in any way -- unless someone forced him to drink.

[Ivytwine97]

02:15 PM on 02/21/2012

He's a boy athlete? So this makes it ok?

I hate the boys will be boys defence.. where does that leave her?

[Tootsie56]

07:13 PM on 02/28/2012

No. Neither his atheletic ability, nor his background excuses the fact that he took her life. And he took it in a very brutal way. Nothing excuses that. F&F

[nypapajoe]

02:14 PM on 02/21/2012

He murdered her and planned it! This is a spoiled self centered jock who couldn't stand his ex beings with another guy!

[nancy kriescher]

11:01 AM on 02/21/2012

When he kicked down the door, he knew it. When he slammed her head against the wall, how many times.. he knew it. When he punched her, mushed her face in the floor, he knew it. When he tried choking her weeks earlier, he knew it. When he took her computer out the room, he knew it. When he lied to police about his whereabouts, he knew it.

[lisaman]

02:13 PM on 02/21/2012

I agree he should have known, but I am still not sure he meant to kill her. They may not have proven that.

[nancy kriescher]

11:02 AM on 02/23/2012

Then he should have looked at her, before leaving, and take in the sight, and gotten help, or called 911 anonomously."

[Tootsie56]

07:15 PM on 02/28/2012

I think he did mean it. His past history tells that story. He simply needed alcohol to fortify himself. Sad.

[hopein2012]

08:02 PM on 02/20/2012

i felt so sad when they said on the news that her sister was crying when they were describing her injuries. how awful to go through something so senseless. that poor family. sad, sad, sad.

[George Garros]

07:46 PM on 02/20/2012

He's not calculating. He's a boy athlete.

So, if a=b, and b=c, then a must be equal to c.

In other words, O.J. was innocent. Boy athlete. SUPREME logic by the defense (sarcasm)

[Jms0537]

12:20 AM on 02/22/2012

It is a very sad reflection on the priorities in this country when something as insignificant as sports has hijacked both the educational and judicial systems. If he is found not guilty of murder on the basis of being a "boy athlete", then I officially give up hope on jurors.

[Tootsie56]

07:17 PM on 02/28/2012

I have faith in the jurors. They will do the appropriate thing with the evidence they are given.

[Debra Moore]

05:57 PM on 02/20/2012

"He CONTRIBUTED to her death but did not kill her...he's a BOY ATHLETE"?
Why? because he left before she actually expired???

And the BOY ATHLETE part...what the heck???
The most bizarre statement I've ever heard in defense of a selfish, brutal monster....

[Tootsie56]

07:19 PM on 02/28/2012

That statement has likely hurt more than helped him. F&F

[hannahsmine]

03:59 PM on 02/20/2012

I hope they FRY him....

[babybelle]

05:21 PM on 02/20/2012

Death penalty is not an option. It's one year to a life sentance.

[Tootsie56]

07:21 PM on 02/28/2012

They will likely settle in the 25 to life range I believe. But I have been wrong before.

[Payd Troll]

03:49 PM on 02/20/2012

it seems like they didn't have much of a defense.