PITTSBURGH — A juror was dismissed hours after deliberations began Thursday in the case of a Pittsburgh man accused of killing his neighbors, two sisters of an Iowa state lawmaker.
The Allegheny County jury spent Wednesday listening to closing arguments by a prosecutor and the defense attorney for 45-year-old Allen Wade.%
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Wade is accused of shooting Susan and Sarah Wolfe after they returned from work on Feb. 6, 2014, apparently to steal a bank card.
Prosecutors say Wade withdrew $600 with the card and needed the money for back rent because he was facing eviction.
Wade's public defender has said police rushed to judgment and wrongly accuse him because they were in a hurry to charge someone because of the victims' prominent sister, Democratic Iowa state Rep. Mary Wolfe.
The juror was dismissed for violating a judge's order shortly after 11 a.m. Thursday.
Wade’s attorneys and the prosecution have argued over the juror’s access to a pen that belonged to the victims. Prosecutors said the pen was dumped by Wade at the East Liberty gas station after the double murder.
Jurors have also asked for a definition of reasonable doubt and additional charts of DNA evidence.
The jury is set to reconvene Monday at 9 a.m.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.