The jury is deadlocked over Atlanta shooter’s sentence. A deadlocked 12-member Atlanta jury may ask Superior Court Judge James Bodiford in writing if they can rehear a controversial tape recording of a telephone conversation in which Nichols tells his brother that he killed four people – and should have targeted prosecutors the day of his courthouse shooting spree. On Nov. 7, after 12 hours of discussion, the jurors convicted Nichols of 54 crimes from the March 11, 2005, courthouse shootings, including four murders, carjackings, robberies and assaults. The panel has already deliberated more than 25 hours in the penalty phase, but appears deadlocked with a 9-3 vote on whether to sentence Nichols to death. Defense attorneys had vehemently objected when the tape was first introduced without warning in November. They’ve called the contents a “bombshell” that would certainly prejudice Nichols’ case, but failed earlier to keep it from the jury.