FULTON COUNTY, OH (WTOL) - The People vs. James Worley is reaching its final hours as the jury has nearly all the information they need to determine Worley's fate.
The state rested their case Wednesday and as a result, court is in recess until Friday. Friday is when it'll be the defense's turn to present their case and call witnesses to the stand.
It's not clear how many witnesses the defense has, but they did tell the judge that the testimony will wrap up in one day.
After the defense rests its case, court will reconvene on Monday and the jury will hear closing arguments from both sides, along with instructions on the charges and how the deliberation process works.
The are 17 charges that the jury will need to deliberate to determine if James Worley is guilty or not guilty on all counts.
Because there are so many charges, reaching a verdict may be a lengthy process. And because this is a capitol case, the judge is taking every precaution possible, including sequestering the jury.
"You'll each have a private room at the Heritage Inn. The court will provide transportation," explained the Honorable Jeffery Robinson. " You're not able to have any devices with internet connections."
The jury will have to surrender their cell phones, have their luggage checked and will not be able to call home to ensure that they are not influenced by anyone while deliberating.
Testimonies, such as the one from a woman who told the jury that she was the victim of a similar crime decades ago at the hands of Worley, defending questions from Worley's attorney and over 400 pieces of evidence, are all things the jury must consider before they reach their verdict.
If a verdict is met Monday afternoon, it will not be necessary for the jury to check into the hotel.