Jury Begins Murder Trial Deliberations Friday After Judge Slams Lawyers for Delay

SAN ANGELO, Texas – Jurors in Ryan Renfroe's trial for murder spent hours Friday morning in the jury room as attorneys argued over the jury instructions prompting Senior District Judge Barbara Walther to chide them for wasting jurors' time. 

Renfroe has been on trial all week for the gruesome shooting death of Jakob Jones in the early morning hours on New Year's Day 2024 in the alley by Fat Boss Pub in downtown San Angelo.  

The trial was set to resume at 9 a.m., but the terse and tense meeting between the judge and attorneys for both the defense and prosecution dragged on in courtroom A for three hours while they ironed out specifics in the jury 'charge' or written instructions about the law and the evidence.  

Judge Walther reopened the courtroom to the public at 11:30 a.m. to go over the ten-page document one more time before bringing in the jury.  The judge asked if either side had any objections.  Defense attorney Evan Pierce-Jones said he had several.  There was a passage about 'failure to retreat' that Pierce-Jones and the judge sparred over.  In the end, Judge Walther overruled Pierce-Jones six times.  

Once the charge was completed, the jury was brought back into the courtroom.  The judge apologized for the delay and cautioned attorneys to have a draft charge prepared before closing in all future trials.  

The judge then read the jury the exhaustive document which included instructions on the charges; Murder, Manslaughter, and Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.  The charge also included instructions on laws that apply to the charges and how the jury was to conduct itself during closed door deliberations.  

After the charge was read, prosecutors had an opportunity for a closing statement, then defense attorneys had 45 minutes to conduct their closing argument followed by the state with the final closing argument.  

Defense attorney Brent Ratekin told jurors Renfroe acted in self defense and was in fear for his life.  Prosecutors reminded jurors that Renfroe sent seven Facebook messages in a row that night to Jones urging him to come downtown and fight.  They also showed jurors the video of the shooting again.  Prosecutors asked the jury to find Renfroe guilty of murder.  

Jurors were handed the charge following closing arguments and began deliberating guilt or innocence at 1:45 p.m. Friday.  A verdict is expected Friday afternoon.  If the jury finds Renfroe guilty, the trial will immediately go into the second part of the bifurcated trial which the punishment phase.  The jury is expected to work in the evening hours to reach agreement on punishment.  Renfroe is facing up to life in prison if he is found guilty of murder.