A juror in AJ Armstrong’s first trial has said the recent jury – which found the 23-year-old guilty of his parents’ murder – “failed to understand reasonable doubt.”
AJ was convicted Wednesday of the murders of his NFL retired father, Antonio Armstrong, and his mother, Dawn Armstrong, who were murdered in their home in 2016.
Prior to Wednesday’s guilty verdict, AJ – who was just 16 at the time of his parents’ deaths – had two mistrials during previous attempts to bring justice.
“I’m afraid the jurors didn’t understand reasonable doubt,” said Lance Staudacher, a juror on the first trial.
“And it’s a shame he’s on trial so often,” he said ABC 13. “Try it often enough and you’ll find the right jury.”
Lance Staudacher (left), a juror in AJ Armstrong’s first trial, has said the recent jury – which found the 23-year-old guilty of his parents’ murder – “didn’t understand reasonable doubt”
AJ (center) was convicted Wednesday of the murders of his NFL retired father, Antonio Armstrong, and his mother, Dawn Armstrong, who were murdered in their home in 2016
AJ’s wife Kate Ober fled the courtroom on Wednesday after the verdict was announced
The guilty verdict comes after seven years of legal battle for the son of the ex-NFL star who played for the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers.
AJ was first arrested hours after his parents’ bodies were found in their Texas townhouse on July 29, 2016. He then entered his freshman year of high school.
In March 2017, a judge in Houston declared AJ – who was 17 – to be tried as an adult.
He was eventually released on $200,000 bail a month later and remained free with an ankle bracelet until his trial began in March 2019.
After two months of trial and more than two days of deliberation, a jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict in the first trial. The judge eventually declared a mistrial.
After his first mistrial, AJ married Kate Ober, who was his girlfriend at the time of his arrest in 2016. The couple also welcomed a son during that time.
In October 2022, the 22-year-old stood trial for the second time.
Ultimately, despite deliberating for more than two days, the jury in that trial again failed to reach a unanimous conclusion and a mistrial was declared.
The trial lasted only a few weeks.
AJ was first arrested hours after his parents’ bodies were found in their Texas mansion on July 29, 2016. He was then entering his freshman year of high school
Armstrong Sr. was a former linebacker for the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers in the NFL
Finally, in May 2023, jury selection began for a third time and took more than 150 hours as attorneys sifted through dozens of potential jurors.
The trial began in July and ended in August, with final arguments from both sides heard on August 15.
After hearing 31 witnesses over 11 days, it took the jury just 10 hours to find the now 23-year-old guilty of murdering his parents.
After the announcement of his guilty verdict, AJ’s wife Kate Ober tearfully fled the courtroom after he tried to comfort her.
AJ’s attorney, Rick Detoto, said Ober was “devastated” when she left after sentencing.
“His family is amazing, and they’re obviously devastated right now, but they’re going to unite and help AJ and his wife and his young son,” he told reporters.
AJ is transferred to state custody and is then sent to the Byrd Unit.
The unit is for male prisoners sentenced to death or serving life sentences ranging from 50 years to more.
He received two life sentences with the possibility of parole in 40 years.
AJ received two life sentences with the possibility of parole in 40 years
After his first mistrial, AJ married Ober, the woman who was his girlfriend at the time of his arrest in 2016. The couple also welcomed a son during that time
After his verdict and sentencing was announced, AJ and his lawyers immediately filed a lawsuit against the Houston Police Department.
The lawyers claim that blood evidence was planted after the first two mistrials.
Earlier this year, two bloodstains were found on a visitor badge placed on Armstrong Jr.’s shirt the night of the murders. was pasted.
It was reportedly found in an evidence box with other items.
The blood evidence, which was not presented in the first two trials, emerged in the third trial.
Officers had initially testified that they had not seen any blood on Armstrong’s shirt the night of the arrest or afterwards when we were interviewed.
“They all testified in court that they saw no DNA evidence. So how come all of a sudden, oops, here’s the DNA evidence,” attorney Randall Kallinen said at a press conference Wednesday with relatives of Armstrong.