Jury Continues Deliberating In Springfield Murder Trial

A Clark County jury returned Friday for the second day of deliberating the fate of a Springfield man.

Lance Murphy, 28, was charged with murder, felonious assault and carrying a concealed weapon in connection with the stabbing death of a man outside a Springfield bar last April.

The jury had the case for about 2.5 hours on Thursday and then returned this morning to continue deliberating.

Murphy is on trial in the homicide of Anthony Jones, 21, who was stabbed or cut six times during a fight on April 4, 2004, across the street from the Spot Bar on Selma Road. Jones died at a Springfield hospital.

Police said another man was also stabbed.

The defense and prosecution do not dispute that Murphy stabbed Jones. However, the defense said Murphy acted in self-defense and was in fear for his life during the fight. Prosecutors said Murphy did not suffered injuries during the fight that would warrant him to use deadly force.

On Friday morning, the jury requested to view a piece of evidence from the trial, which was a videotape.

After a short break around 11 a.m., the jury is back deliberating the case.

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