Jury begins deliberation in Raleigh murder trial

Samuel Gideon, who is on trial for second-degree murder in the 2012 stabbing death of Eleazar Herrera, was brought back into court about 9 a.m. in restraints at the request of his attorney, Tommy Manning. But the chains were removed after he expressed regret for raising his voice and rising out of his seat during prosecutor David Saacks’ closing argument.

“I deeply apologize to the court,” Gideon said to Judge Orlando Hudson. “I was stressed out.”

The jury was not present in the courtroom to hear the conversation between Gideon and Hudson, who warned the defendant that the restraints would be brought back if he misbehaved again.

“I need for you to control yourself, Mr. Gideon,” Hudson said.

The jury returned to the courtroom to hear instructions before leaving to begin deliberation.

Gideon is accused of killing Herrera after encountering him at the scene of a car crash on New Hope Road on Jan. 15, 2012.

Herrera, 20, was with his cousins on their way home the morning of the crime when they noticed a wrecked GMC Envoy and stopped to help. Police said there was some kind of argument, and Herrera was stabbed.

In closing arguments, Manning said Herrera was not the good Samaritan he has been portrayed to be. He said Herrera was drunk and angry when he confronted Gideon and another man, Christopher Todd Rochelle, because he thought the pair had nearly hit his car.

But the state argued the slaying was not in self-defense. Saacks said Gideon and Rochelle had weapons; Herrera did not.