What the jury will have to consider
The nine men and three women tapped to decide Juna Luna's fate come from various walks of life� -- and of Cook County.
Among the jurors sit a flight attendant, a probation officer, a former drug dealer and a stay-at-home mom. Some are city dwellers. One describes himself as a sheltered kid from the suburbs.
Together, they are charged with weighing evidence in the bloodiest crime in suburban Chicago history. Their job intensifies today as they listen to closing arguments and then begin deliberations.
The group, it seems, has formed fast friendships. They are often heard laughing together in the hallway and talking with animated voices in the jury room.
From the beginning, they brought goodies to munch on during their downtime. One day, a juror brought in a big box of rib tips for everyone to enjoy during lunch.
The group has behaved in such a jovial manner, the judge has complimented their camaraderie on more than one occasion.
Some jurors -- for example, the man who professed a keen interest in the O.J. Simpson trial -- have paid rapt attention. Others, such as the probation officer, appear to have stopped taking notes about a week ago.
The judge chastised two men for falling asleep during early testimony. One of those jurors, however, continues to doze off on a near-daily basis.
The panel consists of five minorities and at least one immigrant.
Luna, 33, was born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States with his parents when he was very young. He's now a naturalized citizen.
Key elements of the prosecution
Case points DNA evidence Prosecution: DNA found on half-eatenpieces of chicken matches Luna. The likelihoodof another person having that samegenetic code is 1 in 2.8 trillion. Defense:DNA has been contaminated,thanks to repeated thawing and people touchingthe chicken without gloves. Authoritiesalso lost the DNA swabs taken from thebones. Partial palm print Prosecution:Partial palm print found on adiscarded napkin could not match anyoneelse in the world besides Luna. Defense:The dime-size print area is toosmall to definitively say it belongs to Luna.Also suggests Luna, a former Brown'semployee, would have touched lots of napkinstacks during his employment.Witnesses Prosecution:Two women who testified Lunaand pal Jim Degorski told them about theirinvolvement in the murders are believable -despite having kept a horrific secret for nineyears. Defense:The women, who have histories ofdrug and alcohol use, are liars with personalagendas against both men.Luna's confession Prosecution:Luna's 43-minute confessioncontains facts only the killer would know andcorroborates physical evidence and witnessstatements. Defense:Luna, whose young son had beenwith him when he was arrested, would havesaid anything to be reunited with the child.Simonek's confession Prosecution:John Simonek confessed afterbeing fed information from police. Defense:Simonek knew details only killerswould know. If he didn't do it, it's possiblethat another innocent man could confesswhile in Palatine police custody.