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Day two of jury deliberations ends again with no verdict in art and memorabilia theft trial

 “Le Grande Passion” by Andy Warhol, top; and “Springs Winter” by Jackson Pollock, were stolen from the Everhart Museum in Scranton in 2005.
United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
“Le Grande Passion” by Andy Warhol, top; and “Springs Winter” by Jackson Pollock, were stolen from the Everhart Museum in 2005.

A jury finished a second day of deliberations in the art and vintage memorabilia theft trial Thursday without reaching a verdict.

Jurors asked several questions about legal technicalities and went home after deliberating for about 6½ hours at the William J. Nealon Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse.

They are scheduled to return at 11 a.m. Friday.

They are deciding the fates of four Lackawanna County men - Nicholas Dombek, 54, Thornhurst; brothers Joseph Atsus, 50, of Roaring Brook Township, and Alfred Atsus, 48, of Covington Township; and Damien Boland, 48, of Moscow.

Prosecutors allege they had roles in thefts or attempted thefts at 20 museums across two decades in six states and Washington, D.C.

The Northeast Pennsylvania targets included the Everhart Museum and Lackawanna Historical Society in Scranton; the Country Club of Scranton in South Abington; Hawley Antique Exchange in Hawley; and Cade’s Coins in Exeter.

READ MORE ABOUT TRIAL: Despite calling main witness a liar in heist trial, prosecution asks jury to find the truth in his testimony

Borys Krawczeniuk, one of the most experienced reporters covering Northeast and Northcentral Pennsylvania, joined WVIA News in February 2024 after almost 36 years at the Scranton Times-Tribune and 40 years overall as a reporter. Borys brings to WVIA’s young news operation decades of firsthand knowledge about how government and politics work, as well as the finer points of reporting and writing that embody journalism when it’s done right.

You can email Borys at boryskrawczeniuk@wvia.org