Update | 10:04 p.m.
After less than four hours of deliberations on Wednesday, a Juneau jury returned with guilty verdicts on all charges against Christopher Strawn.
Strawn was arrested for the death of Brandon Cook at Kodzoff Acres Trailer Park in October 2015. Strawn last stood trial in February, but that ended in a mistrial without a verdict.
In addition to the first degree murder charge, the jury also returned with guilty verdicts for what are called “lesser included charges” filed against Strawn. Those will be merged with the most serious conviction, first degree murder, and he’ll be sentenced on that charge.
Strawn was also found guilty of third degree assault against eyewitness Tiffany Johnson.
Strawn showed little reaction when the verdicts were read by the jury foreman.
Cook’s family and friends took off their coats after the verdict to reveal T-shirts with Cook’s picture on the front and “Gone but not forgotten” on the back. That later brought a sharp rebuke from Juneau Superior Court Judge Philip Pallenberg who previously ordered them not to wear the shirts in the courtroom while the trial was underway.
Technically, the trial still was, but Pallenberg did not take any other action.
Cook’s family and friends said they’re relieved it’s over.
“It hasn’t soaked in yet,” said Brandon’s mother Amanda Cook from Wewoka, Oklahoma.
“I mean, I cried a little bit, but I haven’t cried through the whole trial,” Cook said. “I feel pretty good right now, but I’m going to out and see what he’s seen because he always wanted to see Juneau, he always wanted us to see it. So, yeah. I’m going to have some emotions out there now.”
Don Cook said he knew Strawn killed his son.
“Yeah, we did,” Cook said. “But you never know how a jury is going to be. There’d be one person or something, don’t do anything, keeping them going and going and going. You know, so. But, yeah, we knew he did it the whole time. I tell people up here, he don’t look anyone in the eye. If I’m innocent, I’d be looking everybody right in the eye, saying ‘I didn’t do it’. But Strawn, he would never look nobody in the eye the whole time.”
Don Cook said Brandon has three brothers back home. He said they plan to organize a 5K run for a memorial foundation in Brandon’s name.
Strawn will be sentenced Feb. 20, 2018.
