Fujita Chooses Not to Accompany Jury on Site Visits in Wayland

Friday morning, jurors who will decide the verdict in Nathaniel Fujita's murder trial visited three locations in Wayland that figure prominently in that case.

The defendant chose not to take part in those visits.

Fujita, now 20, is facing a first-degree murder charge stemming from the 2011 death of 18-year-old Lauren Astley, Fujita's Wayland High School classmate and ex-girlfriend.

According to Middlesex Superior Court Assistant Clerk Mark Toomey, Fujita chose not to accompany jurors when they ventured to Wayland Friday for a viewing of several sites. Jurors visited Fujita's family home on West Plain Street where prosecutors say Fujita strangled and stabbed Astley in his family's detached garage; Wayland Town Beach, where Fujita allegedly abandoned Astley's Jeep; and Water Row, where Astley's body was discovered in a marshy area off the road on July 4, 2011.

Toomey said that, in addition to the jury, attorneys for both sides, court staff and the defendant were permitted to go on the viewing; however, Fujita declined. Wayland Police restricted access to the areas being viewed throughout the morning.

Twitter reports from Norman Miller indicate that the viewing began at the Fujita home where jurors were "the jury will look at the garage, Fujita's bedroom and other spots."

According to Boston.com, jurors spent about 30 minutes at the Fujita home.

From there, according to the Twitter reports, the jury headed next to Wayland Town Beach and finished with a trip to Water Row.

Courts are closed Monday in observance of Presidents Day. Testimony is expected to resume on Tuesday, Feb. 19.

For a full recap of court proceedings during the first and second days of testimony, see Patch's Live Blog Day 1 and Live Blog Day 2.