(Portland, OR)  --  Jury deliberations begin today in the murder case against 2017 MAX stabbing suspect Jeremy Christian.  Closing arguments took place yesterday.  Christian is facing 12 charges in total, including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and assault.  Jurors were told they could convict on a lesser charge of second-degree murder if they're unable to reach a unanimous verdict on the first-degree murder charges.  If they're still unable to reach a unanimous agreement, jurors will be allowed to convict on a charge of manslaughter with approval from ten of the 12 jurors.  Christian is accused of stabbing Taliesin Namkai-Meche [[Tal-EE-shin NOMM-kai MAY-chay]] and Ricky Best to death and injuring Micah Fletcher on a MAX train in 2017 after they stood up for two Muslim women whom Christian was verbally assaulting.