Deadlocked Jacques jury still deciding

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Deliberations continue Thursday in the trial of Michael Jacques , one of three men accused of setting fire to the yet-to-be-finished Macedonia Church of God in Christ the night President Barack Obama was elected.

On Wednesday, jurors told the judge they were deadlocked. They told Judge Michael Ponsor that they just could not reach an agreement for two of the three charges; conspiracy against civil rights and damage to religious property. Ponsor told them not to get discouraged and to start fresh in the morning.

When the jury sent Judge Ponsor a note Wednesday saying that they were deadlocked, he told lawyers it was just too early to get a note like this. On Thursday morning, he similarly told the jury that it was too early to be deadlocked.

"This case was 15 days of Trial. That's a lot of time to take in evidence," Ponsor said. He hopes that jurors will listen to him and just give themselves more time to let it all set in. Deliberations began on Tuesday.

On Thursday afternoon, jurors asked the judge several questions, including clarification on aiding and abetting. If the jury finds Jacques guilty of aiding and abetting on any of the counts, it is the same in the court of law as finding him directly guilty; therefore, a guilty verdict would stand.

In addition to the two charges on which the jury is deadlocked, Jacques is also charged with use of fire to commit a felony.

If convicted on all charges, Jacques could face up to 60 years in prison.

22News' Elysia Rodriguez is in the courtroom, and will bring you the latest updates on air and here on WWLP.com.