ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Nickolas Stephenson spent much of the day Thursday sitting on a bench beside a bailiff in the Buncombe County Courthouse as a jury began deliberating his fate.
Stephenson, accused of first-degree murder and felony child abuse in the death of his 12-week-old daughter, Riley Stephenson.
The trial featured testimony from 911 dispatchers, first responders, investigators, forensic experts, a pediatrician and a pathologist. Closing arguments wrapped up Wednesday, and Judge George C. Bell instructed the jury Thursday morning before sending them to deliberate.
Bell told jurors it was their duty to determine the facts from the evidence and apply the law as instructed. He reminded them that Stephenson is presumed innocent and the state must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
By late morning, the jury requested to review transcripts of an interview between Stephenson and former Buncombe County Senior Detective Tim Bradley, transcripts of Stephenson’s phone calls from the interview room and photos from the phone of Riley’s mother, Diandra Haleigh Fuhr-Farlow.
Jurors returned to the courtroom shortly after 11 a.m. to review the photos, then continued deliberations with the transcripts in hand for a limited time.
Deliberations continued into the afternoon but ended around 5 p.m. without a verdict. Jurors are scheduled to resume Friday morning.
Previous coverage
‘This is torture. This is murder’: Prosecutors make final plea in infant death trial
Detective describes investigation, interviews in Asheville baby’s death
Pathologist: Infant’s death caused by injuries, malnutrition, pneumonia
Pediatrician testifies infant’s death was ‘child torture’
‘She would cry’: Mother recounts abuse before baby’s death
Body cam, crime scene evidence shown in Asheville murder trial
Emergency responders testify in death of 12-week-old
