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

Jury deliberations resume in ‘fat defense’ trial

HACKENSACK, N.J. — Jury deliberations resumed 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 Thursday. The jury asked to review Ates’ testimony, wiretapped phone calls between Ates and his sister, and testimony from a neighbor who said he saw Ates’ car at his mother’s house the night of the murder.

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

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