CLEVELAND (AP) — Jurors in Ohio's Amish beard-cutting hate-crimes trial are questioning whether a conspiracy would involve all 16 Amish defendants or just a few.
The Cleveland federal court jury posed the question Wednesday to Judge Dan Aaron Polster. He told jurors that a conspiracy wouldn't necessarily need to involve all nine victims in the five attacks or all 16 defendants.
Jurors will return Thursday for a fifth day of deliberations.
The government calls the attacks hate crimes based on religious differences. The defense says it was an internal church dispute and doesn't rise to a criminal level.
Prosecutors say the defendants cut off Amish men's beards and women's hair because the hair carries spiritual significance in their faith.
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