Court Updates: Jury deliberations resume in Brian Walshe murder trial

DEDHAM, Mass. — Jury deliberations continue Monday in the high-profile murder trial of Brian Walshe.

Proceedings in Dedham’s Norfolk Superior Court were delayed a couple of minutes on Monday because an alternate juror was absent.

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Closing arguments were delivered on Friday morning. Walshe’s attorney, Larry Tipton, opened with closing remarks on behalf of the defense. The prosecution followed with Anne Yas.

Judge Freniere sent 12 jurors off to begin their deliberations shortly before 12:30 p.m. after instructing them that they must decide the case on evidence, not on sympathy for Brian Walshe’s wife, Ana.

After hours of deliberating on Friday, jurors were sent home, as they were not able to reach a verdict.

Walshe is accused of killing and dismembering his wife, Ana Walshe, in their Cohasset home around New Year’s Eve 2022. Her body has never been found.

He still faces a first-degree murder charge after previously pleading guilty to misleading police and unlawful disposal of a body.

Defense strategy

Brian Walshe chose not to testify in his own defense, and his attorneys did not call any witnesses.

Legal experts say that the decision suggests the defense relied heavily on cross-examination rather than presenting new evidence.

The defense argues Ana died of a sudden, unexpected medical event and that Walshe panicked after finding her dead in bed.

They did not call a medical expert to support that claim but insisted that such deaths, while rare, can happen.

Prosecution’s case

Prosecutors allege Walshe murdered Ana as his marriage unraveled, then covered up the crime by dismembering her body and disposing of the remains in area dumpsters.

Boston defense attorney Elyse Hershon told Boston 25 News the defense likely felt they had accomplished enough during cross-examination.

“They must have felt through the cross-examination of the medical examiner and the life insurance agent that they got what they needed. There’s never a right or wrong answer, and a lot of times those decisions are made with the client in real time.”

The verdict slip offers three options:

• Not Guilty
• Murder in the First Degree
• Murder in the Second Degree

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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