Jurors accepted the prosecutions theory that Jeffs advice to the 14 year old church member to obey her husband and submit to his requests amounted to accomplice behavior.

The accuser, Elissa Wall testified that Jeffs told her she must marry her 19 year old first cousin, Allen Steed whom she disliked. To defy Jeffs meant darkness and virtual excommunication from the church.

A few weeks later according to her account, Steed said it was time “to be a wife and do your duty.”

After they consummated the marriage he fell asleep, she swallowed two bottles of pain pills.

On Wednesday, prosecutors filed rape charges against Steed a day after Jeffs’ conviction.

The jury panel deliberated for 2 hours in their initial session. They will resume deliberations Monday morning.

The prosecutor argued that the only reason the teenager had sex with her cousin is because her “prophet” Jeffs commanded her to do so.

Jeffs’ defense lawyer argued that the accuser is far from a victim and is really pursuing this case so that she can file an eventual civil lawsuit and get a large monetary return.

Jeffs’ faces five years to life in prison on two counts of rape as an accomplice.

The accuser’s ex-husband Allen Steed testified in the trial that his religion did not condone the use of force and that his ex-wife, in fact, initiated their first sexual encounter.

“They prosecuted Warren Jeffs for rape because he is the leader of a religious group that the state does not approve of” his defense lawyer stated in the closing arguments.

Of course this new view of the jury instructions only developed after the jury announced that they were deadlocked 7-5.

Judge Fidler originally contemplated adding a lesser included manslaughter instruction but ultimately decided against doing so. Instead the judge crafted his own new instruction to replace the pin-point instruction in Defense Special Instruction #3.

The new instruction gives examples of how Spector may be found guilty of 2nd degree murder without the jury finding the prosecution’s version of the case to be true.

Most legal experts this modification of instructions is disastrous if deliberations result in a conviction.

Whether it is a mistrial or a reversal on appeal, the Phil Spector trial will most likely take all over again.

After five months of trial, 100’s of exhibits, scores of witnesses, and final arguments from prosecution and defense the jury will be asked to decide if Phil Spector is guilty of second degree murder.

Spector is charged with murder in the death of Lana Clarkson in February of 2003.

The prosecution argues that Phil Spector held a gun in Lana Clarkson’s mouth which he either intentionally discharged or accidentally discharged in conscious disregard for her life.

The most powerful prosecution evidence includes statements from women who have in the past been terrorized by Spector after an evening of excessive drinking and his statement “I think I killed somebody” … pretty powerful!

The defense argument focused on the crime scene evidence which showed that Spector had no gun shot residue, no blood spatter, and no tissue on his right arm and his torso where you expect to see such evidence if the prosecution scenario is accurate.

This case is a toss-up. It will be interesting to see how long it takes a jury to come to a conclusion … if they can.

Most probable outcome … Hung Jury!