Mystery may hinder conviction in Melendi case
15th Sep 2005, 05:25 GMT
Whatever the verdict, Colvin "Butch" Hinton's murder trial won't explain exactly what happened to Shannon Melendi after she disappeared in 1994, opposing lawyers agreed in their closing arguments Wednesday. While prosecutors said the only remaining mystery is how Hinton abducted and killed the 19-year-old Emory University student and hid all traces of her body, defense lawyer B.J. Bernstein said there was no proof Hinton ever saw Melendi again after they worked together at a softball park March, 26, 1994. The DeKalb County Superior Court jury deliberated for an hour and 40 minutes Wednesday afternoon, then recessed until Thursday.
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