The Latest: Jury reaches verdict in Chinese scholar case

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) — The Latest on the trial in the slaying of a visiting Chinese scholar (all times local):

1:45 p.m.

Jurors have reached a verdict in the trial of a former University of Illinois doctoral student charged with kidnapping and killing a 26-year-old woman who was a visiting scholar from China in 2017.

The federal court clerk in Peoria sent an email Monday afternoon saying the jury has made a decision in the case against Brendt Christensen. The clerk said court is scheduled to reconvene about 2 p.m.

The case is being closely followed in China and by Chinese students in the U.S.

Defense attorneys began the trial by admitting Christensen killed Yingying Zhang in 2017. It's part of a strategy to try to persuade jurors to spare the 29-year-old Christensen's life. If jurors convict Christensen they must then decide whether he should be sentenced to die. The penalty phase could last weeks.

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12:30 p.m.

Jurors are deliberating in the trial of a former University of Illinois doctoral student charged with kidnapping and killing a 26-year-old visiting scholar from China.

The jury started considering the case against Brendt Christensen just before noon Monday after closing arguments in Peoria federal court. Defense attorneys began the trial by admitting Christensen killed Yingying Zhang in 2017. It's part of a strategy to try to persuade jurors to spare the 29-year-old Christensen's life.

The judge said he would give 30 minutes notice when the jury has reached a verdict. The case is being closely followed in China and by Chinese students in the U.S.

If jurors convict Christensen they must then decide whether he should be sentenced to die. The penalty phase could last weeks.

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12 a.m.

Closing arguments are set...