A jury of seven women and five men began deliberating Friday afternoon in a lawsuit filed by the widow of a police officer who was shot and killed in Hoonah.
During Friday’s trial session, convicted murderer John N. Marvin Jr. took the witness stand and declined to answer any questions. Marvin invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination because his criminal case is currently on appeal. Marvin was convicted for the Aug. 28, 2010, murders of Hoonah officers Matthew Tokuoka and Tony Wallace. He was later sentenced to serve 198 years in prison.
Tokuoka’s widow, Haley Tokuoka-Yearout, alleges that Wallace’s lack of training and his actions immediately preceding the incident provoked Marvin into shooting both officers.
Attorneys for Tokuoka-Yearout and the defense attorneys for the City of Hoonah later presented their closing arguments to the jury.
One juror was randomly selected as an alternate and excused from the case with the thanks of Juneau Superior Court Judge Louis Menendez.
Jurors selected a foreman and went home after about an hour of deliberations. They’ll continue Monday morning. The plaintiffs are seeking several million dollars in damages.
The trial started March 31.
