Colorado jury finds Joseph Koenig guilty of first-degree murder in deadly rock-throwing trial

Jurors have delivered a responsible verdict for first-degree homicide for Joseph Koenig, the Colorado man accused of throwing a rock by means of the windshield of Alexa Bartell’s moving vehicle, killing her. Deliberations started Thursday, with the jury returning the decision lower than two hours after returning to deliberate on Friday morning. 

Koenig was charged with first-degree homicide in Bartell’s demise, in addition to 9 further prison counts of tried first-degree homicide for allegedly throwing rocks at different automobiles. There have been additionally three counts of second-degree assault and 6 counts of tried second-degree assault for a complete of 19 counts. 

The jury returned responsible verdicts on all prices, though some have been downgraded to lesser prices, together with one rely of tried first-degree homicide that was downgraded to tried second-degree homicide. Two counts of tried first-degree homicide have been downgraded to tried reckless manslaughter, and one other rely was downgraded to reckless endangerment. 

All counts of second-degree assault have been downgraded to third-degree assault. A number of the counts of tried second-degree assault have been downgraded to tried third-degree assault.

Witnesses testified last week, sharing their experiences that evening as they grew to become victims of the rock-throwing assaults.

Two co-defendants, Nicholas “Mitch” Karol-Chik and Zachary Kwak, pleaded guilty final 12 months for his or her roles within the 2023 assault. Final week, each males testified in opposition to Koenig as a part of their plea agreements. Each claimed that it was Koenig who threw the rock that killed Bartell. The protection questioned Karol-Chik’s testimony, pointing to earlier interviews the place he claimed Kwak had thrown the final rock of the evening.

Koenig didn’t testify. As a substitute, his protection known as behavioral health researcher and Temple College professor Laurence Steinberg to the stand. The protection pressured that Koenig wasn’t totally conscious of the implications of his actions. Steinberg was cross-examined for a number of hours as District Lawyer Katharine Decker sought to ascertain that adolescents are able to impulse management and logical reasoning.

Koenig’s trial, initially scheduled to start final summer season, was delayed for a court-ordered analysis after his attorneys raised issues about an ADHD prognosis.

Closing arguments have been heard Thursday morning. The protection asserted that what Koenig did was manslaughter, not homicide.

“Did he make a number of unhealthy choices? Sure. Knowingly and deliberately,” one prosecutor stated.

Koenig’s protection did not argue that he did not commit against the law however pleaded that the jury discover him responsible of a reckless manslaughter cost.

“You are proper. What Joe Koenig did was against the law. He’s responsible. We’re asking you to search out him responsible of what he did.”

Sentencing for Koenig has been scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on June 3. Victims and their families are anticipated to talk on the sentencing. 

Sentencing hearings for Karol-Chik and Kwak have been scheduled for subsequent week, Could 1 and Could 2, respectively, after the decision in Koenig’s trial.