Deliberations resume Monday over road rage death

Jury deliberations will resume Monday morning in the case of an Atlanta man accused of shooting to death a Forsyth County Iraq war veteran as the two argued at a Midtown Atlanta red light.

After deliberating for 4 1/2 hours Friday, jurors elected to go home for the weekend and return at 9 a.m. Monday.

Charles Anthony Key, 27, is charged with voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault in the death of Jack Snook, a 1999 North Forsyth High School graduate. The two got into an argument at the intersection of Linden Avenue and West Peachtree Street about 4:30 a.m., April 3, 2005.

In closing arguments Thursday morning, assistant Fulton County District Attorney Eleanor Ross told the jury Key was the aggressor because he honked at the car Snook was riding in and mouthed the words “bring it on.” She also pointed out the Snook was not armed.

“It is not reasonable that this man had to take another man’s life because of this road-rage incident,” Ross told the jury.

The defense does not dispute that Key shot Snook in the face and sped off. But Key’s attorney, Dennis Scheib, told the jury Key was defending himself against Snook, who got out of the vehicle he was in and began banging on the passenger window of Key’s truck.

“He was justified. He had a right to defend himself,” Scheib told the jury.

Snook, 24, had returned home from serving with the Marines in Iraq three months before his death. He left behind a wife, Cara, and daughter, Mallory, now 10.

Key faces 20 years in prison if convicted.