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No Verdict Yet In Trial Of Woman Accused Of Murdering Aspiring Model

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Jurors in the trial of a woman accused of killing an aspiring model more than five years ago will return to deliberation Tuesday.

Kelly Soo Park, 47, is charged in the 2008 murder of then 21-year-old aspiring actress and model Juliana Redding.

Redding, a one-time Maxim Magazine model, was found dead March 16, 2008 in her Santa Monica apartment.

The jurors are tasked with determining if the defendant is guilty, either of the charge of first degree murder, indicating premeditation, or the lesser charge of second degree murder.

After seven days of deliberation, jurors said they had reached a verdict Monday, but an exchange between the jury foreman and the judge led the judge to determine that no verdict had been determined.

In submitting the verdict to the judge, the jury foreman said: "I believe your honor that there are members of the jury that are not following your instructions and are basically saying 'we don't care what the law says, we are going to decide how we want to decide.'"

Upon reading the form submitted, the judge determined that the jurors had not reached a verdict and asked the jury to submit questions to help resolve the issue.

Jurors requested "an enhanced definition of second degree murder", "a true difference between first and second degree murder" and clarification on one of the forms.

The jury was sent home and deliberations will continue for an eighth day on Tuesday.

Prosecutors said Park was paid $1 million to kill Redding by a wealthy doctor involved in a business deal gone bad with Redding's father.

Evidence was presented during trial that said Park's DNA was found on the victim's cell phone, T-shirt and neck.

Defense attorneys for Park argued that the case was largely circumstantial, and that the presence of DNA evidence did not explain how or when it got there.

The defendant remains out on $3.5 million bail.

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Trial Gets Underway In 2008 Murder Of Aspiring Actress/Model

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