NY College Students Kidnapping, Torture Case Goes To Jury

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — Jury deliberations are set to begin in the trial of four people charged with kidnapping and torturing two University of Rochester students last year.

Monroe County prosecutors and defense attorneys for Lydell Strickland, David Alcaraz-Ubiles, Ruth Lora and Inalia Rolldan made their closing statements Thursday. Deliberations are scheduled to begin Friday.

The four defendants were among nine people charged with kidnapping the two young men last December after mistakenly targeting them for retribution for a drug-related robbery. Prosecutors say the victims were beaten and tortured and one of them was shot in the leg during the 40-hour ordeal before being rescued by a police SWAT team.

The two victims, who played on the school's football team, have since graduated from the college.

The five other people involved have all pleaded guilty.

[STORY BY: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS]