The jury deciding Ted Stevens' fate (and perhaps the outcome of his reelection bid) resumes deliberations today. The jury retired a bit early yesterday after advising the judge in a note that jurors needed "a minute of clarity" because deliberations had become "kind of stressful."

If deliberations became stressful after less than a full day, it seems probable that at least some jurors have sharply divergent opinions about Stevens' guilt. That could lead to a compromise verdict (guilty on some counts, not guilty on others) or to a hung jury. But it's anybody's guess. Trying to divine a jury's collective thinking from the notes it sends to the judge is about as useful as trying to predict the stock market by reading tea leaves.

The Washington Post offers brief highlights of the evidence presented by the prosecution and defense (while ignoring one of the real highlights: how badly the government bungled its obligation to turn over evidence to Stevens). The Anchorage Daily News has this helpful trial summary and tells us that, after alternates were released from the jury, the twelve remaining jurors consist of 8 women and 4 men, 10 African Americans, 1 white, and 1 Hispanic.