After a full day of closing arguments by both the prosecuting and defense attorneys, the jury in the Joseph Phipps trial began deliberations late Thursday afternoon. The jury deliberated for about 15 minutes before it was dismissed for the day just before 5 p.m. Thursday. Nearly three dozen witnesses testified over eight days before the prosecution rested its case Wednesday afternoon. Closing arguments were heard Thursday before the jury was sent off to begin deliberations at 4:41 p.m. Joseph Phipps, 42, is accused of shooting his wife, Christy, 35, in the head in their Joshua Tree home in January 2013. Phipps has been out of custody since September after he posted $1 million bail.
