Judge in Palin e-mail hacking says he will encourage jurors before 4th day of deliberating

Palin e-mail jury trying to agree for fourth day

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Before deliberating a fourth day at the trial of a man charged with hacking Sarah Palin’s e-mail, a federal jury in Knoxville will get some encouragement from the judge.

Jurors told U.S. District Judge Thomas Phillips they have reached unanimous verdicts on three other charges but were still deadlocked on a count of identity theft Thursday.

Defendant David Kernell is charged with breaking into Palin’s e-mail while she was the Republican vice presidential candidate in 2008.

The judge said after jurors left the courtroom that he will “encourage them” Friday to decide the identity theft charge.

Defense attorney Wade Davies has said the 22-year-old Kernell intruded on Palin’s e-mail in a prank. Prosecutors say he was trying to damage Palin’s campaign.