The jury will begin deliberation today after closing arguments in the trial of Michael Ron Runyan, 21, who is accused of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Harold “Uri” Sellers.

Jurors were sent home early yesterday after evidence was closed. The jurors were asked to report back at 9 a.m. today to receive instructions on the law pertaining to anything related to the trial from District Court Judge Timothy Finn.

Runyan was the only witness to testify for the defense during the trial.

“I wasn’t trying to kill the guy. I was trying to wound him,” Runyan said.

Defense attorney Julia Keifer made a second motion for acquittal of the trial.

Finn overruled the motion, saying there is sufficient evidence “if believed by the jury” to prove premeditation or willful injury.

The defense argued Runyan killed Sellers in self-defense.

Runyan said while he was walking past Adelante fraternity, 318 Welch Ave., for the second time during the Veishea celebration, people started surrounding him.

“I just seen all these people all around me,” Runyan said. “There’s a lot of threats being made.”

However, he said he didn’t know who specifically was making the threats.

He said he heard people saying “we’re gonna fuck you up and stuff.”

Runyan said he felt threatened and thought they were going to kill him because “they could have just gotten me on the ground and kept going at me.”

Stephen Holmes, assistant Story County attorney, questioned Runyan’s reasons for feeling so threatened.

Holmes pointed out that, according to testimony, the only physical contact Runyan experienced up to that point had been one push during the first altercation.

“They were close enough to get a hold of you, but they didn’t,” Holmes said.

Runyan also said although he did not see anyone with a weapon during the second altercation, he figured the guy who had a board during the first encounter was still around and probably still had it.

Runyan said he turned into the driveway at Adelante fraternity house because he thought he could escape by that route.

“I thought that was a road at the time,” Runyan said.

Holmes asked Runyan why he did not cross to the other side of Welch Avenue to get away from the group of people Runyan said were threatening him.

“I didn’t think about that. I just made one choice,” Runyan said.

Runyan testified he thought people were trying grab him, so he turned around with the knife in his hand. He said he told them he had a knife and asked them to leave him alone.

Runyan said he thought Sellers was trying to grab him when he stabbed him.

“Wouldn’t his hands be out in front if he tried to grab you?” Holmes asked.

Runyan said he thought so, and he doesn’t see why the knife did not hit Sellers’ hands instead of lodging between his first and second ribs.

Runyan said at that point the other guys tried to grab him.

“I realized what I was doing and I just took off running,” he said.

Runyan said he didn’t know he had stabbed Sellers. “I didn’t actually know, but I just figured I thought I did,” he said.

Holmes questioned Runyan’s attitude toward his actions. Runyan said it bothered him, yet he was able to sleep on the drive home.

“Well, I was basically passed out,” Runyan said.

Jack Seward, a special agent with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and one of the two officers who questioned Runyan when he turned himself in, was called to the stand again to clarify a point during rebuttal.

Seward said Runyan told him he had gone to another party in between the two altercations and did not tell him he returned to the van.