A jury deadlocked Monday on whether an Azusa man was legally sane when he stabbed his 40-year-old mother to death in 2012.
Daniel Pope, 24, was convicted last week of second-degree murder in the death of his mother, Michelle Monique Russell, as well as animal cruelty for stabbing his dog.
Jurors began deliberating in the sanity phase of the trial early Friday afternoon but told a judge today they were unable to reach agreement on Pope’s state of mind at the time of the killing. Seven of 12 jurors believed Pope was sane and understood what he was doing and that it was morally wrong.
Pope called police on May 4, 2012, from his home in the 300 block of East Russell Street to report the stabbing.
The 911 dispatcher kept him on the line while police and paramedics responded. They found his mother dead at the scene and persuaded Pope to surrender without incident.
The injured dog was taken to the San Gabriel Valley Humane Society for treatment.
Prosecutors have not yet decided whether to retry the sanity phase of the case. Another hearing is scheduled for Dec. 3.
Pope remains jailed without bail.
— City News Service