Jurors ponder fate of Clara Harris

Prosecutors ask for murder conviction in closing

Clara Harris reacts as a prosecutor describes Harris' final confrontation with her husband during closing arguments Wednesday. Story Tools VIDEO The four-week trial of Clara Harris, accused of intentionally running over her husband with her car, went to the jury after closing arguments. CNN's Art Harris reports (February 13) PLAY VIDEO RESOURCES Indictment: Texas v. Harris  (FindLaw, PDF)

HOUSTON, Texas (CNN) -- The four-week murder trial of Clara Harris, accused of intentionally running over her husband with her car, is in the hands of the jury.

Jurors deliberated six hours Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. They returned to the courtroom at one point to have testimony read back from the transcript in which Clara Harris said that she "wanted to separate" her husband from his lover but that she only wanted "to hurt him emotionally."

Deliberations are set to resume at 8 a.m. (9 a.m. EST) Thursday.

In closing arguments, prosecutor Mia Magness urged the jury to strongly consider the murder charge against the 45-year-old Harris and not to even consider the lesser charges of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.

"At this point it is time to call her what she is, and that is a murderer," Magness said.

Defense attorney George Parnham told the jury that it was an accident and that Harris should be acquitted.

Harris ran over her 44-year-old orthodontist husband David in a suburban hotel parking lot last summer with her Mercedes-Benz after confronting him with his lover, Gail Bridges.

Parnham called Bridges a "home wrecker" who should share blame for what happened the evening of July 24.

"I'm not up here to vilify the memory of David Harris ... but there were some bad choices, folks," Parnham said. "There were some bad decisions made here."

Clara Harris, a dentist, testified during the trial that she hit her husband just once and that it was an accident.

Prosecutors argued Wednesday that her actions were intentional and that David Harris was run over at least twice and perhaps five times, according to witness accounts.

"David's bad judgment, his bad choices, shouldn't result in his death," Magness said.

Clara Harris dabbed tears at times during the hearing, as did her stepdaughter Lindsey Harris, who was in the car that killed her father. The teenager had testified during the trial that Clara Harris "stepped on the accelerator and went straight for him."

If convicted of murder, Clara Harris could face life in prison. However, her lawyers have indicated they would lodge a "sudden passion" argument that could reduce the sentencing guidelines to two to 20 years in prison.

A manslaughter conviction carries the same sentencing guidelines, while a criminally negligent homicide conviction would bring a sentence ranging from six months to two years in prison. Sentencing severity also could be affected if the jury decides Clara Harris used her car as a deadly weapon.

In addition to Lindsey Harris, Bridges testified during the trial. David Harris's mother, father and brother testified on Clara Harris's behalf, telling jurors she loved her husband and did everything possible to save their marriage.

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