Kernell case goes to the jury

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The Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that David Kernell's fate is now in the hands of the jury:

Jurors are weighing four counts this morning against David C. Kernell, the former University of Tennessee student accused of breaking into and snooping through former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's private e-mail account in 2008.

The panel left a U.S. District Court courtroom downtown about 9:50 a.m. to begin pondering Kernell's case after hearing jury instructions. Judge Thomas Phillips said he anticipated breaking for lunch about 11:45 a.m. if no verdict had been reached by then.

Jurors began hearing testimony last week in the trial of the former University of Tennessee student and son of a Democrat state legislator charged with four felony counts including identity theft and wire fraud. If convicted on all four charges , Kernell faces a maximum possible penalty of 50 years in prison.

- JP