PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The jury that unanimously convicted Jeremy Christian on all 12 charges in the MAX attack also reached a unanimous conclusion on enhanced factors that Judge Cheryl Albrecht can use when she imposes his prison sentence.
After 2 days of testimony and hours of deliberation, the jury handed down their verdict on these sentencing factors — and as with their previous verdict, their decision was 12-0 on all factors.
There are 6 factors the jury was deliberating:
- That there is a high probability that the defendant cannot be rehabilitated.
- That the defendant’s crimes were precipitated by his unreasonable racial and religious bias.
- That the defendant demonstrated no remorse for his acts.
- That the defendant’s acts demonstrated his callous disregard for the value of human life.
- That the defendant is likely to commit future acts of violence.
- That defendant was at least 18 years of age at the time the murders were committed.
Read the jury instructions below
The jury will not make a recommendation on sentencing. Judge Albrecht will impose the prison sentence for Jeremy Christian. The sentencing is likely to take place some time in late March, but the exact date has not yet been determined.
Jurors now discharged
Judge Albrecht officially discharged the jurors from service, but she took some time to meet with them alongside several trauma intervention workers, giving them some information about coping following this kind of trial.
During the trial, the jurors were asked to review a lot of graphic testimony and evidence. According to the paperwork she gave them, typical signs of distress following jury duty include anxiety, difficulty sleeping, fear/guilt, difficulty focusing and more.
The resource sheet includes tips like getting plenty of rest, meditating, talking about feelings with family and friends, and avoiding overuse of substances like alcohol and caffeine.
The judge also gave them a number for the Multnomah County Mental Health Call Center.
Public reacts to Jeremy Christian conviction
Jeremy Christian, 37, was found unanimously guilty on all 12 charges — including 2 counts of murder — he faced for a brutal attack on a MAX Green Line in 2017.
The jury then listened to arguments on Tuesday and Wednesday from the prosecution and defense whether “enhanced factors” could be considered for his sentencing.
Jurors requested definitions for the words “precipitated” and “rehabilitate” Wednesday morning. These are not legal terms, but Judge Albrecht acknowledged that, since they received so many legal definitions with the original verdict instructions, the jurors may have gotten confused.
Albrecht said she would instruct the jurors to think of the words as they would use them in “everyday life.” Jurors are not allowed to consult dictionaries or outside sources during deliberations, so the judge took input from both sets of attorneys and offered the following definitions:
Precipitated: Brought about especially abruptly; acting with excessive haste or impulse; lacking due deliberation.
Rehabilitate: To restore or bring to the condition of health or useful and constructive activity; to restore life through education and therapy.
Prosecutors laid out their case that the convicted killer “absolutely” could hurt someone again. The defense said “he’s not going to be the same person” when he’s 40 or 50 or 60.
Jeremy Christian sentencing hearing: Mocking, memorabilia
Jury deliberating Jeremy Christian sentencing factors
No official sentencing date has been set, but both sides are looking to late March. Christian faces a maximum of life in prison without parole. In late October 2019, prosecutors filed a motion agreeing with a defense motion that took the death penalty off the table. The defense filed the motion after Oregon law changed.
Complete KOIN Coverage: The MAX Attack Trial