PORTLAND, Maine — The fate of a Portland man accused of killing another man during a fight two years ago is in the hands of a jury.
Jurors are scheduled to resume deliberations in the trial of Ernest Weidul on Wednesday.
Weidul is charged with manslaughter in the May 2010 death of Roger Downs Jr.
Prosecutors say the men had just met when they spent hours together drinking coffee brandy. Authorities say Weidul punched Downs repeatedly in the head and neck after he became annoyed because Downs’ was flicking his finger at him and poking him.
Downs died a couple days later in the hospital.
The defense says Downs was the aggressor and Weidul reacted in self-defense. They also say Down’s may have died from pneumonia that went undetected by doctors.