Byrd Guilt on Voluntary Manslaughter Charges
Testimony led to the conviction.
"We the jury find the defendant, Jamaal Byrd guilty of voluntary manslaughter."
32 year old Jamaal Byrd is now convicted of voluntary manslaughter.
Byrd shot 27 year old Terrence Etchison at Kanku's convenience store in February of 2010.
"My sister lost a son, I lost a nephew and ultimately the Byrd family possibly losing their son as well," explains the victim's uncle, Johnathon Etchison.
Byrd's attorneys say the verdict could have been worse.
" I have mixed emotions about the verdict. I mean the jury spoke and deliberated, thankfully it wasn't first degree or second degree murder," says Defense Attorney Fred Hanzelik.
But, the victim's uncle Johnathon Etchison says the result is just a motive for troubled kids.
Ethcison explains, "Only thing that jury did today was give all the young people that's out there in the streets, causing havoc and shooting, killing, and robbing. It gave them permission to continue to do that, with this slap on the wrist."
The defense attorneys stand by their client's innocence-- that he acted in self defense.
"I think he's relieved from the stand point it wasn't a harsher verdict but not relieved from the stand point he was convicted of anything," says Hanzelik.
As for the prosecution...
"There's a lot of disappointment. That's probably the most pressing feeling we have right now," says Matthew Rogers, Prosecution.
Byrd will be sentenced in September.
In Chattanooga, Jillian Pavlica, WDEF News 12.
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