Jury in Steele case asks to deliberate late
Eleven women and one man will continue deliberating Thursday in the murder-for-hire trial of Edgar J. Steele in U.S. District Court in Boise.
Deliberations began about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday and ended about 7 p.m. The jury asked to hear the recordings and tapes played at trial, and told Judge B. Lynn Winmill they wanted to deliberate late.
Steele, 65, faces at least 30 years in prison if convicted of his most serious charge - possession of a destructive device in relation to a crime of violence.
Steele also is charged with use of interstate commerce to commission murder for hire, use of explosive material to commit a federal felony and tampering with a victim.
Steele's supporters say he has been framed by the government to silence him for his views and legal work. Steele calls himself "the attorney for the damned" and defended the Aryan Nations against the lawsuit that bankrupted the racist group in 2000. Steele also wrote a book called Defensive Racism.
His wife and alleged victim, Cyndi Steele, believes he is innocent.