LAKEPORT, Calif. – The jury in the trial of a Clearlake Oaks man accused of a child's murder last summer completed its first day of deliberations on Tuesday.
The jury for Paul William Braden, 22, heard the last of its instructions from visiting Yolo County Judge Doris Shockley at 10 a.m. before beginning deliberations.
The five-woman, seven-man jury must decide whether Braden is guilty of 15 counts – including first-degree murder, five counts of attempted murder, two counts of mayhem, six counts of assault with a firearm and discharge of a firearm at an inhabited dwelling – plus dozens of special allegations for a shooting in the city of Clearlake on the night of June 18, 2011.
The shooting killed 4-year-old Skyler Rapp, wounded his mother, Desiree Kirby and her boyfriend, Ross Sparks, and also left three others – Andrew Sparks, Joseph Armijo and Ian Griffith – wounded.
Last Friday, after about four hours of deliberations, a separate jury found Braden's codefendant, 24-year-old Orlando Joseph Lopez Jr. of Clearlake Oaks – guilty of all charges, with all special allegations being found true.
Braden's jury left the Department 2 court, where they've been deliberating, at about 3:45 p.m. Tuesday.
They are set to return at 9 a.m. Wednesday to continue their deliberations.
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