News

A jury is taking plenty of time thinking about a new law -- specifically about whether it should convict three people accused of defying county limits on courthouse protests.

Jurors went home at midday Tuesday with no verdict, and now have deliberated for longer than it took to try the three, who stood with lighted candles outside the courthouse after 9:30 p.m.

"I can't believe they're still deliberating. ... The jury is working very hard," said Deputy Public Defender Casey Russo.

"It's hard to tell what it means. They're asking a lot of questions," said Deputy District Attorney Jackie Pizzo.

The case is the first criminal trial stemming from Humboldt County's attempt to limit protests outside the courthouse in Eureka. (That law is also being challenged in a civil suit, and critics have contended that it is so broad it violates the Constitution.)

The three people being tried, Peter Camacho, Kimberly Starr (aka Verbena) and Amanda Tierney, are accused of violating a provision that prevents most people from being on the courthouse grounds after 9:30 p.m.