WARREN Jury deliberates murder case

The woman goes on trial Nov. 18.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A jury continued deliberating this morning the fate of a Youngstown man facing capital murder charges.
Jurors in Nathaniel Jackson's murder trial deliberated until late Wednesday night before asking Judge John Stuard to allow them to break.
The jurors were taken to a local hotel for the night.
Jackson, 30, of South Pearl Street, Youngstown, and Donna Roberts, 57, of Howland are accused of killing Robert Fingerhut of Fonderlac Street S.E. Roberts and Fingerhut were divorced but were living together at the time of his death, police said.
Jackson's trial began last month. Roberts is scheduled to go on trial Nov. 18.
The prosecution and defense took considerable time Wednesday explaining the details of the case in their closing statements to the jury.
Letters
During the two-week trial, Prosecutor Dennis Watkins produced numerous letters written by Jackson to Roberts, which he said showed the two were planning Fingerhut's murder. Watkins said Jackson was waiting at the home for Fingerhut to arrive.
Watkins said the letters showed Jackson and Roberts kept in touch while Jackson was an inmate in Lorain Correctional Institution.
Jackson was released from prison Dec. 9 after serving one year on a conviction out of Mahoning County on two counts of receiving stolen property.
Atty. James Lewis and Atty. Anthony Consoldane of the Ohio Public Defender's Office are representing Jackson.
The defense maintains Jackson acted in self-defense in killing Fingerhut.
Consoldane said Fingerhut brought Jackson to his home and started a fight. Consoldane said it was Fingerhut who pulled a gun on Jackson.
sinkovich@vindy.com