PHOTO: Murder Suspect Pours A Cup Of Water On his Attorney's Head DURING Trial…'You Sold Me Out!'

Accused of murder: Jerome Power

An agitated murder defendant poured a cup of water over his attorney’s head during trial just as jurors were getting ready to start their deliberations.

Jerome Power, 50, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, dumped the water on attorney Steve Addington, of Des Moines, catching Addington, jurors, and the judge off guard.

Power, charged with first-degree murder, has been accused of strangling his 68-year-old neighbour, Doris Bevins, to death in her home on September 19, 2010.

Deputies in the courtroom quickly responded, but were too late to prevent Addington from getting wet, KCRG-TV9 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, reports.

The jury started their deliberations in Linn County District Court just after 12pm on Monday and were sent home at about 4.30pm.

They resumed deliberations at 8:30am on Tuesday [Nov. 20].

Power seemed ‘agitated and defiant’ while Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden gave his closing argument, according to KCRG-TV9.

Defendant Jerome Power pours a glass of water over the head of his defense counsel Steve Addington as the jury leaves the courtroom following closing arguments in Powers' first degree murder trial

Vander Sanden said the act of killing Bevins was ‘premeditated, deliberate and wilful’, Power ‘squeezed the life from her’, he said.

Power said nearly 100 times during police interrogations that the killer was a white man who had lived in the same apartment house as he and Bevins, Vander Sanden said.

Vander Sanden said Power used pajama pants found at her apartment to strangle her and was likely there to commit a burglary or theft, but was interrupted when police showed up. 

Police found Bevins’ cellphone and charger in Power’s pocket.

Power faces life in prison without parole if convicted.