Lucero murder trial jury still deliberating

The Suffolk County jury in the Marcelo Lucero hate-crime murder case is scheduled to begin its fourth day of deliberations Monday.

The 12-member panel is tasked with determining whether Jeffrey Conroy, 19, of Medford, is guilty of second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, first-degree gang assault and fourth-degree conspiracy as a hate-crime in Lucero's Nov. 8, 2008, stabbing death.

Lucero, 37, an Ecuadorean immigrant, and a friend were accosted by seven teenagers near the Patchogue train station. Some of the boys have pleaded guilty to lesser crimes, admitting they were looking for Latino men to attack and accusing Conroy of dealing the fatal blow with a knife.

Deliberations began last Wednesday. The jury has asked multiple times for readbacks of testimony, as well as second looks at evidence and legal definitions.

Conroy has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Authorities say he gave a statement to police admitting he stabbed Lucero, but he testified at his trial that another boy, Christopher Overton, was responsible. Overton has denied the charge.