Jurors in the murder trial of Dyron Yokley broke for the night Friday after 12 hours of deliberations.

Mr. Yokley, 27, is on trial in the January 2007 slaying of Tyus Steele in White Oak Park in Red Bank. He has been charged with first-degree murder, felony murder and especially aggravated robbery, but jurors also could convict him of a lesser-included second-degree murder charge.

Mr. Steele’s mother, Tracy Wade, said Mr. Yokley had offered to plead guilty to second-degree murder and accept a 25-year prison term, but she insisted prosecutors move forward with a trial because she wanted him to get a life sentence.

“He asked me (through attorneys) for a plea bargain four or five times, but I wanted my day in court,” Ms. Wade said.

She said she wants justice for Mr. Steele’s two children, a 4-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter.

At trial, prosecutors tried to show that Mr. Yokley gunned down Mr. Steele, then 23 years old, after a drug deal didn’t go his way. Prosecutors introduced evidence that Mr. Yokley chased Mr. Steele through the park while shooting at him, then fired one bullet into his head at close range. District attorneys also said Mr. Yokley robbed Mr. Steele, taking cash and the victim’s car keys.

Karla Gothard, Mr. Yokley’s attorney, said the decision to fire on Mr. Steel was made in the heat of the moment after Mr. Steele tried to rob Mr. Yokley, hit him on the head with a rock and ran toward a man Mr. Yokley mistakenly believed could have been an armed drug associate.

On Friday evening, 21 people sat on the Yokley family’s side of the courtroom. Deliberations ended for the evening at 9 p.m. just after family members and supporters gathered in a circle and prayed that God “touch” the jury and deliver “justice.”

When Judge Barry Steelman asked the jury to come back at 10 a.m., one juror began crying.

“My son is 2, and tomorrow is his first-ever soccer game at 9:30 a.m,” Juror No. 23 told the judge.

It appeared that the juror wanted deliberations to resume later than 10 a.m. so she could be present for the soccer game, but Judge Steelman said he needed the jurors back then to reduce any exposure to any of the trial’s media coverage or comments from the public that might prejudice the jurors.

Family members also were emotional.

“I’m getting kind of antsy,” Ms. Wade said. “The murder was cut and dried. I’m prepared for it to be over. But I will be very disappointed if (the verdict is) anything less than first-degree murder.”

In the trial Ms. Gothard also suggested Red Bank police mangled the investigation and mishandled evidence, and that because of that there is no proof of a robbery.

In closing arguments Thursday, Ms. Gothard said she would be satisfied with a conviction on the lesser offense of voluntary manslaughter.

Deliberations will resume Saturday at 10 a.m. in the Hamilton County Courts Complex.

Staff writer Monica Mercer contributed to this story.

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