A juror in AJ Armstrong’s first trial says the recent jury – which found the 23-year-old guilty of murdering his parents – ‘didn’t understand reasonable doubt’.
AJ was sentenced on Wednesday for the murders of his retired NFL father, Antonio Armstrong, and mother, Dawn Armstrong, who were killed inside the home in 2016.
Ahead of Wednesday’s guilty verdict, AJ – who was just 16 when his parents died – had twice been struck down in previous attempts to deliver justice.
“I’m afraid the jurors didn’t understand the reasonable doubt,” said Lance Staudacher, a juror in the first trial.
“And it’s a shame he’s been tried so many times,” he said. ABC 13. “Try enough times and you’ll find the right jury.”
Lance Staudacher (left), a juror in AJ Armstrong’s first trial, said the recent jury – which found the 23-year-old guilty of murdering his parents – ‘didn’t understand the reasonable doubt’
AJ (middle) was sentenced on Wednesday for the murders of his retired NFL father, Antonio Armstrong, and mother, Dawn Armstrong, who were killed inside the home in 2016
AJ’s wife Kate Ober fled the courtroom on Wednesday after the sentencing was announced
The guilty verdict comes after seven years of legal battles for the son of the former NFL star who played for the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers.
AJ was first arrested hours after his parents’ bodies were discovered in their Texas townhouse on July 29, 2016. He was entering freshman year of high school at the time.
In March 2017, a Houston judge certified AJ – who was 17 – to stand trial as an adult.
He was eventually released on $200,000 bail a month later and remained free with an ankle monitor 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 ultimately 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 around this time.
In October 2022, the 22-year-old is retried for a second time.
Ultimately, the jury in this trial again could not reach a unanimous conclusion despite deliberations lasting more than two days and a mistrial was declared.
The trial only lasted a few weeks.
AJ was first arrested hours after his parents’ bodies were discovered in their Texas townhouse on July 29, 2016. He was entering freshman year of high school at the time.
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 the third time and lasted more than 150 hours as attorneys screened dozens of potential jurors.
The trial began in July and ended in August, with closing arguments being heard from both sides on August 15.
After hearing from 31 witnesses over 11 days, the jury took just 10 hours to find the 23-year-old guilty of murdering his parents.
Following the announcement of his guilty verdict, AJ’s wife, Kate Ober, fled the courtroom in tears after trying to console her.
AJ’s attorney Rick Detoto said Ober was “devastated” when she left after sentencing.
“His family is amazing, and obviously they are devastated right now but they will rally together and help AJ and his wife and young son,” he told reporters.
AJ is transferred to State Guard and will later be sent to the Byrd Unit.
The unit is for male inmates on death row or sentenced to life imprisonment ranging from 50 years or more.
He was sentenced to two life sentences with the possibility of parole in 40 years.
AJ was sentenced to 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 2016 arrest. The couple also welcomed a son around this time.
After his verdict and sentencing were announced, AJ and his attorneys immediately filed a lawsuit against the Houston Police Department.
Lawyers say blood evidence was filed after the first two mistrials.
Two bloodstains were found earlier this year on a visitor badge stuck to Armstrong Jr.’s shirt on the night of the murders.
It was reportedly found in an evidence box with other items.
The blood evidence, which was not presented in the first two trials, appeared in the third trial.
Officers had initially testified that they had seen no blood on Armstrong’s shirt the night of the arrest or after when we were interviewed.
“They all testified in court that they had seen no DNA evidence. So how is it all of a sudden, oops, here’s the DNA evidence,’ attorney Randall Kallinen said Wednesday at a press conference with members of the Armstrong family.
