Jury Deliberating In Murder Trial Of Cedric Poore

Jurors are deliberating whether Cedric Poore is guilty of murdering four women in a Tulsa apartment.

Friday, both sides presented closing arguments after the defense suddenly rested Thursday without calling any witnesses.

The jury is sitting with a box of evidence and the judge told them if they choose to open up sacks full of bio-hazardous evidence, the court will provide gloves for them.

Attorneys on both sides said they expect this to be a long night - anticipating the jury may not even reach a decision until midnight.

Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said the evidence in the case is "crushing," pointing to phone records, shell casings, DNA and blood spattered at the apartment.

12/30/2016 Related Story: Closing Arguments Underway In Cedric Poore's Murder Trial

He argues Cedric and his brother, James, acted together, saying one had a gun while the other tied up the four women.

The defense, though, argued Cedric was never inside the apartment and said phone records prove he did not participate in the crimes.

Defense attorney John Echols also said there is an "unknown fingerprint" in the case that "no one has managed to identify," adding that there is also unknown DNA on the knots used to tie up the four women.

The defense also asked for a mistrial after a demonstration used by Kunzweiler.

The DA used a necktie on one of his detectives to demonstrate the time it would take to tie someone's hands behind their back.

Echols called the demonstration inappropriate because he thought it was unrealistic, but the judge said the jurors can determine that for themselves and declined the request for a mistrial.

Both sides are confident the jury will make the right decision, including Cedric Poore.

"Right now his spirits are high. He has but only one choice, and that is to believe the 12 jurors will uphold their end of the oath and see this evidence for what it is, and that is lacking," said Defense Attorney Mike Manning.

Kunzweiler said, "I've learned a long time ago, if you're gonna live within the system, you live with whatever decision is made by the jurors. It's the only system of justice we enjoy.

At the end of the state's rebuttal, Kunzweiler held up a picture of each one of the victim's, saying each of their names and telling the jury each of them are no longer here.