JURY AGREES ON ONE COUNT, DEADLOCKED ON ANOTHER IN OLD LYME SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE

A jury in New London Superior Court sent out a note just before court closed for the day Tuesday that it had reached a verdict on one count in the sexual assault case of Christopher Dionne, but has been unable to come to a unanimous decision on the other charge.

Dionne, 37, of 4 Village Lane, Old Lyme, is charged with molesting a 10-year-old girl during a sleepover at his home at 4 Village Lane on Nov. 26, 2017. He has pleaded not guilty to risk of injury to a minor and fourth-degree sexual assault.

The jury returned briefly to the courtroom about 5 p.m. Tuesday but did not announce its verdict on the one count it agreed on.

The panel will return to court this morning to resume deliberating after receiving additional instruction from Judge Barbara Bailey Jongbloed. Judges in Connecticut customarily instruct deadlocked juries to try again to come to a decision by reading them instructions known as the “Chip Smith” charge.

The jury of four men and two women began deliberating Friday before asking for playback of testimony from several witnesses. Court was closed Monday for Columbus Day, and on Tuesday the panel spent part of the day listening to playback of testimony from the alleged victim and from a state trooper who investigated the case.

Members of both Dionne’s family and the alleged victim’s family have been attending the trial and waiting at the courthouse for the verdict.