After five days of testimony, Joseph Ferlazzo’s fate is in the hands of the jury.Ferlazzo is accused of first-degree murder for allegedly killing his wife, Emily Jean, while the couple celebrated their one-year anniversary in Bolton back in 2021.Closing arguments in the case began around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, and the jury began deliberations just before 3:30 p.m.The judge called it a day around 6 p.m., after the jury sent a note requesting to review some of Ferlazzo’s direct examination with his attorney. Earlier in the day, Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George emphasized in her closing arguments that the crime was a premeditated killing and pointed out that Ferlazzo was out of the camper where the shooting happened several minutes before returning. “Mr. Ferlazzo sat on the couch thinking, planning for what he told police was five to 10 minutes; for at least five minutes, Mr. Ferlazzo sat on the couch and stewed,” George said.To emphasize her point, George let a clock run for five minutes as the courtroom sat quiet.Meanwhile, defense attorney Margaret Jansch said her client was acting out of self-defense and thought that Emily Jean was going to shoot him. She reminded jurors that there had been a pattern of abuse in the relationship and that Emily had hit Joseph multiple times.” Ego? Or someone that had been pushed to the point they could no longer tolerate getting hit,” Jansch said. The state is looking for a guilty verdict on the first-degree murder charge, while the defense is hoping that the jury acquits Ferlazzo and finds his actions were in self-defense. The jury will return on Friday to continue reviewing evidence in the hopes of making a final verdict.See previous coverage:Day 4 of Joseph Ferlazzo murder trialDay 3 of Joseph Ferlazzo murder trialDay 2 of Joseph Ferlazzo murder trialDay 1 of Joseph Ferlazzo murder trialJury selection begins in Joseph Ferlazzo murder trial
After five days of testimony, Joseph Ferlazzo’s fate is in the hands of the jury.
Ferlazzo is accused of first-degree murder for allegedly killing his wife, Emily Jean, while the couple celebrated their one-year anniversary in Bolton back in 2021.
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Closing arguments in the case began around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, and the jury began deliberations just before 3:30 p.m.
The judge called it a day around 6 p.m., after the jury sent a note requesting to review some of Ferlazzo’s direct examination with his attorney.
Earlier in the day, Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George emphasized in her closing arguments that the crime was a premeditated killing and pointed out that Ferlazzo was out of the camper where the shooting happened several minutes before returning.
“Mr. Ferlazzo sat on the couch thinking, planning for what he told police was five to 10 minutes; for at least five minutes, Mr. Ferlazzo sat on the couch and stewed,” George said.
To emphasize her point, George let a clock run for five minutes as the courtroom sat quiet.
Meanwhile, defense attorney Margaret Jansch said her client was acting out of self-defense and thought that Emily Jean was going to shoot him. She reminded jurors that there had been a pattern of abuse in the relationship and that Emily had hit Joseph multiple times.
“[Is this] Ego? Or someone that had been pushed to the point they could no longer tolerate getting hit,” Jansch said.
The state is looking for a guilty verdict on the first-degree murder charge, while the defense is hoping that the jury acquits Ferlazzo and finds his actions were in self-defense.
The jury will return on Friday to continue reviewing evidence in the hopes of making a final verdict.
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