Jury deliberations continue in NJ murder trial of Fla. man who claims he was too fat to kill

Jury deliberations continue in ‘fat defense’ trial

HACKENSACK, N.J. — Jury deliberations continued Friday in the New Jersey murder trial of a Florida man who claims he was too fat to kill his former son-in-law.

Edward Ates (AYTZ’) says he didn’t have the energy to accurately shoot Paul Duncsak (DUNS’-kak) and make a quick getaway. He was 285 pounds when Duncsak was killed in 2006.

Deliberations began on Thursday. On Friday, jurors watched videotaped testimony by Ates’ sister in which she admitted she lied about when Ates arrived at their mother’s Louisiana home after the killing.

Prosecutors say the 62-year-old drove from Florida to New Jersey, climbed a staircase, shot the 40-year-old and fled south.

The victim and Ates’ daughter were divorced and involved in a bitter custody dispute.