MCDONOUGH, Ga. — The jury began deliberation in the murder trial of Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum in earnest on Monday, with trial watchers wondering just how long it would take for the jurors to take to return a verdict on the 49 counts against the couple.
The Henry County couple were foster parents to 2-year-old Laila Daniel and her older sister Millie when Laila died on November 17, 2015.
The couple insists the death of Laila was an accident that occurred while Jennifer was trying to save her from choking on some food. Prosecutors said her death was the result of a measure of systemic, violent abuse.
Prosecutors Eddie Chase and Dasha Young delivered closing statements to the jury last Friday, punctuating each of their closings at length with emotional deliveries.
The Rosenbaum's defense attorney, Corinne Mull said the case was one that was a clear rush to judgment
Laila died from internal bleeding as a result of injuries to her internal organs.
The jury has been left with making a decision on each of 49 charges against the couple.
Jennifer has been charged with:
- 1 count of malice murder
- 3 counts of felony murder
- 16 counts of aggravated assault
- 20 counts of 1st-degree cruelty to children
- 5 counts of aggravated battery
- 2 counts of 2nd-degree cruelty to children
Joseph Rosenbaum has been charged with:
- 1 count of 2nd-degree murder
- 10 counts of aggravated assault
- 4 counts of aggravated battery
- 14 counts of 1st-degree cruelty to children
- 3 counts of 2nd-degree cruelty to children
As part of her closing argument, Mull said that pending lawsuits against the Department of Family and Children's Services played a role in the Rosenbaums being charged for Laila's death.
Once the jury began its work on Monday, they asked the court for permission to utilize a schedule that closely mirrored its schedule during the nearly two-week-long trial, which would allow them to begin at 9 a.m., take a mid-morning break, a break for lunch and a mid-afternoon break before ending their working day by 5 p.m. The judge granted that request.
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PHOTOS: Laila Marie Daniel
TRIAL COVERAGE:
DAY SEVEN: ‘Millie told me Laila had been asleep’: ER nurse who treated girls on day Laila Daniel died
DAY NINE: 'Significant blunt impact trauma:' Medical examiner says Laila Daniel did not die from choking