Jurors in Athena Strand case face emotional aftermath after death verdict

Attorneys and prosecutors say jurors face emotional strain after reviewing disturbing evidence, with counseling offered to help them cope.

A jury has sentenced the man who killed 7-year-old Athena Strand to death, bringing a conclusion to a case that exposed jurors to deeply disturbing evidence and leaving lasting emotional effects on those who decided his fate.

“It is therefore the order of this court that your punishment be death,” Judge Gallagher said as the verdict was delivered.

Now, attention turns to what happens to the 12 jurors who spent weeks hearing the case.

Attorney Christy Jack, a partner at Varghese Summersett who has tried six death penalty cases, said the weight of such decisions is profound.

“It’s not something that anyone should high-five about, you know,” Jack said. “It is something absolutely horrific: A nightmare of a crime has occurred in our county, which means that it calls for the ultimate punishment. And that’s never an easy thing.”

Jurors in the case were exposed to graphic evidence, including audio and video tied to the crime.

“You’re hearing her fighting back. You’re hearing her be sexually assaulted. You’re actually hearing the last moments she took her breath,” Jack said.

Unlike many trials, jurors were not tasked with determining guilt or innocence. The defendant, Tanner Horner, pleaded guilty on the first day of trial, meaning jurors were left to consider only the punishment, without the opportunity to discuss the case during earlier phases.

“So, you’re receiving all of this nightmarish kind of information and you’re not allowed to talk about it with anyone,” Jack said. “And you didn’t choose to be on this jury. And this trial took basically a month to try.”

Tarrant County officials say they are taking steps to support jurors as they process the experience.

“As soon as the jury, the verdict was returned, the judge talked to the jurors, let them know about counseling that's available,” District Attorney Phil Sorrells said.

Sorrells said some jurors have already reached out to victims’ services for help.

“This is a Wise County case, but these are citizens of our county and we wanna make sure that they're taken care of,” he said.

Those resources are expected to remain available for about six months, as officials acknowledge the psychological impact can extend well beyond the courtroom.

“Capital murder cases are different. And jurors are different after a capital murder case,” Jack said.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.