“After hours of , the jury had reached a decision in the case. Journalists and experts had been the case for weeks. On the night of the , millions of Americans gathered around their . When the ruling – innocent – was finally made, the shock of many people in the courtroom was apparent.”

A jury discusses the evidence before reaching a decision; this process is called deliberating. So “After hours of deliberating, the jury had reached a decision” is the best fit. “Arguing” suggests a disagreement, while “thinking” is too general for the jury’s formal decision-making process.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.