After break to ’sleep on our decision,’ jurors to resume deliberations in Iowa coach killing

After break, Iowa jury takes up coach killing case

ALLISON, Iowa — Jurors will try again to reach a decision in the first-degree murder trial of a former football player accused of killing his high school coach in Iowa.

The jury is deciding the case against 24-year-old Mark Becker, charged in the June 24 shooting death of Aplington-Parkersburg coach Ed Thomas. Becker has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

After deliberating for more than 10 hours over two days, jurors will return Friday morning to the courthouse in tiny Allison, Iowa, to try to resolve what they told the judge was a stalemate.

The jurors sent Iowa District Court Judge Stephen Carroll a note Thursday saying they couldn’t reach a decision and asking to “go home and sleep on our decision.” He agreed to the break.