The jury deliberating the case against Terence E. Crosbie, who faces charges of rape, will break for Juneteenth, with discussions scheduled to resume on Friday morning.
On Wednesday, jurors expressed a desire to review part of a recorded police interview with Crosbie.
Crosbie, 38, is accused of raping a woman in a hotel room shared with another firefighter on March 14, 2024.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The jury, consisting of eight men and four women, specifically requested to hear Crosbie’s remarks related to the possibility of his DNA being found on the woman or her clothes, given that he had been alone in the room earlier that morning.
However, Superior Court Judge Sarah Weyland Ellis informed the jury that the specific segment they requested was never officially submitted as evidence and thus could not be played.
The judge advised jurors to rely on their memories and notes, stating, “You may consider any testimony on this subject as evidence.”
During the trial, Crosbie testified in his defense, maintaining he did nothing wrong.
He claimed he had no physical contact with the woman during the time they were together in the hotel room.
Jury instructions underscored that the case had entered the deliberation phase on Monday, with jurors completing their first full day of deliberations on Tuesday.
Around 9:40 a.m. on Wednesday, jurors were excused from the courtroom to continue their discussions.
In her closing argument, Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Erin Murphy presented a strong case for a guilty verdict.
She insisted that there was no credible alternative narrative, asserting, “There’s no mystery man here, there’s no phantom rapist who slipped off into the night. Terence Crosbie is guilty.”
Murphy highlighted the woman’s description of the alleged assault, presented just hours after it was reported, arguing that her ability to recount the events after consuming alcohol demonstrated her credibility.
“If she was so drunk, or so mixed up, or if she was making up a story, then how did she have so much right?” Murphy challenged jurors.
Furthermore, she referenced DNA evidence showing two distinct male profiles, contradicting defense claims.
“It’s a misnomer to say the DNA was inconclusive. What is conclusive is there were two distinct male profiles,” Murphy stated emphatically.
Contrarily, defense attorney Daniel C. Reilly aimed to persuade jurors of Crosbie’s innocence during his closing remarks on Monday.
Reilly called for an acquittal to alleviate what he termed the “nightmare” that has enveloped Crosbie’s life.
He implored the jurors, “I’m going to ask you to end that nightmare and find him not guilty.”
Crosbie’s wife and other supporters were present in the courtroom, offering their solidarity.
Reilly argued the prosecution had not established a solid connection between Crosbie and the alleged crime, noting that the woman failed to recognize Crosbie’s identifiable tattoos after the incident.
“The Commonwealth has not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Crosbie committed the crime he is accused of,” he asserted.
The key testimony came from the woman, who recounted the events of the night in question after socializing in Boston and consuming alcohol.
She stated she consensually engaged with firefighter Liam O’Brien before falling asleep in another bed.
When she awoke, she alleged that Crosbie was inside her against her will.
She vividly described the moment, revealing that tears flowed as she recalled sending a text message to a friend shortly after the assault.
Crosbie, in his own testimony, claimed he did not have any interaction with the woman, asserting he left the room when O’Brien brought another woman back and returned only after some time had passed.
When he returned, he found his bed unchanged and undressed down to his boxers before getting in bed.
He recounted that shortly after settling in, he heard the woman exit O’Brien’s bed before she gathered her belongings and left without any engagement with him.
“I had no physical or verbal contact with her at all,” Crosbie testified, maintaining his innocence amid serious accusations.
As deliberations continue, the courtroom awaits a decision that could significantly impact the lives of all involved.
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