DECATUR - Friday marked Amanda Hamm's third anniversary in custody and the third day of deliberations by the jury that will decide her guilt or innocence on charges that she murdered her children by drowning them in Clinton Lake in 2003.

Hamm's trial on nine counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Christopher Hamm, 6; Austin Brown, 3; and Kyleigh Hamm, 23 months, closed Wednesday afternoon. Deliberations resume Monday morning.

Maurice LaGrone Jr., Hamm's former boyfriend, is serving a life sentence for his McLean County conviction on murder charges relating to the children's deaths. Hamm's Macon County jury deliberated 17 hours over three days before ending their discussions for the weekend.

On Friday afternoon, the jury forwarded a question to DeWitt County Judge Stephen Peters concerning a possible plan by LaGrone to kill the children. The panel wanted to know if Hamm could be guilty of first-degree murder if she knew LaGrone planned to kill the children but was unaware of specifics of that plan, including knowledge that the car was going to go into the water.

Defense attorney Steve Skelton said Hamm would not be considered guilty of first-degree murder under the scenario outlined by the panel.

Peters would not allow any response to the question. He told jurors to rely on jury instructions given at the conclusion of the trial.

Shortly before they retired for the week, the jury asked to see a diagram drawn by defense witness Richard Ofshe. The California psychologist explained how false confessions and statements may be secured by police.

A large group of family members waited outside the courtroom this week for a jury decision.