ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. — Serving on a jury can be incredibly difficult. Citizens put their lives on pause to sit through days of evidence, learning devastating details, and working with complete strangers to reach a unanimous agreement.
One jury out of Arapahoe County faced those challenges with grace, and now consider each other close friends several weeks after their case has concluded. They had no idea what they were getting into when they were first selected to be on the jury that would decide the fate of James Craig, a former Aurora dentist.
James Craig was taken to trial this summer, accused of murdering his wife, 43-year-old Angela Craig, in 2023.
Prosecutors argued James Craig poisoned his wife over 10 days via workout smoothies and a medication intended to treat sinus infections. They also claimed he administered a lethal dose of cyanide to Angela Craig while she was hospitalized on March 15, 2023.
Six of the jury members sat down exclusively with Denver7: David Lemont, Angie Roberts, Monica Montoya, Brittany Roybal, Lorie Haverland, and Tammi Peterson. Brittany Roybal was an alternate juror and did not participate in deliberations.
"He was innocent. They had to prove him guilty, and they did a good job," said Peterson.
James Craig was tried for one count of first-degree murder, two counts of solicitation to commit tampering with physical evidence, two counts of solicitation to commit perjury in the first degree, and one count of solicitation to commit first-degree murder. Five of the counts were added to the case during his time in jail.
On July 30, the jury found him guilty on all counts. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
"We wanted to make sure that we were thorough with everything, so that there was no question and that it was also solidified just in our hearts and minds," Lemont, who was the foreperson of the jury, said about the verdict. "I feel good even now, looking back, that we really did try our best and we did our due diligence for each count."
That decision followed 10 days of testimony that the jury had to consider on six different charges. Denver7 asked what evidence stood out to the jury, which included James Craig's extramarital affairs, emotional testimony from the Craig children, and two blood draws taken on March 15, 2023, that show cyanide levels in Angela Craig's blood more than doubled while she was hospitalized.
When the jury began deliberations, they ensured every member received the time and space needed to make their own, individual decision on each count. The solicitation charges — in particular, the charge connected to a murder for hire plot James Craig discussed with a fellow inmate regarding the lead Aurora Police Detective on the case — took some time for some jury members to consider.
After one night, the jury returned for deliberations on July 30. That afternoon, they reached a unanimous verdict.
"It was a sense, for me, of unity," Haverland said. "We are coming out here as a unit. Everybody's on board. Everybody is feeling good about these decisions, and we're about to deliver this to the courtroom, and hopefully her [Angela Craig's] family will be able to begin their healing."
When coordinating an interview with jurors, the first question Peterson asked Denver7 was whether we could help facilitate a meeting between some of the jury members and the Aurora police detectives who led this investigation.
On Thursday evening, Denver7 surprised the jurors with Aurora Police Detectives Bobbi Jo Olson and Molly Harris, who wanted to meet the jury just as badly.
"I was so disappointed that we couldn't talk to you, because usually we like to go back and have that conversation. And just because of the immediate sentencing, we weren't able to," Olson told the jurors.
"To make a long story short, my husband used to be a police officer in Illinois with me, and he got shot in the line of duty. And so, I've been through this process in a different way, obviously, as a victim, and I know how important a jury is," Harris said. "Y'all ultimately make the decision we can't. Thank you."
The appeals process for James Craig has started. A spokesperson with the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office said an appeal does not appear to have been filed yet, but James Craig has been appointed a public defender who has requested transcripts of the trial.
On Friday evening, a new "20/20" episode about the investigation into James Craig will air on ABC at 8 p.m. MST.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available through Violence Free Colorado or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233.
