The Placer County trial to determine whether 16-month-old Hannah Rose Juceam was shaken to death ended Wednesday in a hung jury, with jurors split ten to two in favor of guilt.
“On May 11, 2006, Hannah’s life was robbed from her. And here we are just a little over a year later, and she just got robbed again,” said an angry Rick Perry, one of the jurors in favor of a guilty verdict.
Jurors notified the court at about 11:40 a.m. that they were deadlocked. A hearing was held at 1 p.m. and after Judge Robert McElhany polled each juror and they agreed they couldn’t reach a verdict, the judge declared a mistrial.
The jury was deliberating charges of second degree murder and child abuse causing death or great bodily injury against Juceam’s nanny Veronica Salcedo. Salcedo was accused of shaking the toddler at the Juceams’ home in Roseville while she watched the family’s three children on May 11, 2006.
As the two holdout jurors left court with a deputy escort, not commenting to reporters, other jurors hugged and cried with each other and the child’s parents, Scott and Lorena Juceam, inside the courthouse.
“We couldn’t get justice. We couldn’t get justice for the family. And it’s just, I wish we could’ve,” said an emotional Jessica Bardini, another juror.
After Hannah Rose Juceam was taken to the hosptial, diagnosed with severe brain swelling, she died two days later after being taken off life support. The crux of the argument was whether or not the cause of death was shaken baby syndrome or an undiagnosed illness.
That defense of a possible illness is what hung up the jury, according to the foreman, Don Locascio of Granite Bay.
“Maybe some of the medical evidence, maybe there was a possible injury before the situation. Maybe how law enforcement handled the interview of the suspect,” he said. But he and other jurors say they held no ill will toward the two holdout jurors.
Scott and Lorena Juceam expressed those same feelings of apppreciation for all the jurors, but the child’s father said, “We will try Veronica Martinez Salcedo again.”
“We respect their decision,” said Lorena Juceam of the jury, “But obviously whoever didn’t agree with them (the majority) it’s because they didn’t see the facts.”
The jury was widely split early in deliberations, coming back after the first two days and saying they were deadlocked on October 22. It’s now been disclosed that first split was seven to five in favor of guilt, so during the next wee the jury came closer to agreement. The jury deliberated 10 days in all.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Salcedo sat at the defense table sobbing. The baby’s mother Lorena was also crying, as were two of jurors.
“This is a very emotional case for people. And ya know, I believe she’s innocent. I will always believe she’s innocent,” said Salcedo’s attorney Mary Beth Acton. “If we have to try this case again, we will.”
Salcedo’s relatives left court with little comment, one woman simply saying, “God is with us.”
Under the law, prosecutors have the unilateral right to decide whether or not to have a re-trial on the same charges. The case comes back to court in early December, and the decision on re-trial will most likely be made by then.
“It’s an emotional moment right now,” said Placer County District Attorney Brad Fenocchio. “We need some time to step back, take a look, make that decision at a later time.” Prosecutors spent time interviewing some of the jurors about the case immediately after the mistrail was declared.
Salcedo remains in custody pending that decision. She’s been held since the child’s death in lieu of $1 million bond. She’s also on an immigration hold because she’s an undocumented Mexican national.
Courtesy of News10
Written by Mark Hedlund, Reporter
Written by Elizabeth Bishop, Senior Internet News Producer