Yet another kid I schooled with.
After two days of deliberation, a Sussex County jury has convicted 24-year-old Shane DeShields of first degree murder in the shooting death of 17-year-old George Coverdale.
The jury decided DeShields did not intentionally kill Coverdale, but his reckless actions led to Coverdale's death. This decision lowered one of the first degree murder charges to second degree. DeShields was still convicted on a first degree felony murder charge.
Tamekia Ross knows convicted killer DeShields and his victim George "Champ" Coverdale. She says it's hard to imagine one night resulted in the murder of one friend and a possible death sentence for another.
She says, "You just don't think somebody like that would do something like that, but it happens. But if it happens, whatever the jury or the judge decides, that's what's meant to be."
And after nearly 7 hours, the jury did decide.
It found DeShields guilty of first and second degree murder and various robbery, possession and conspiracy charges.
His attorney, Stephen Callaway, says DeShields told police he fired the fatal shot into Coverdale's chest during a drug robbery near Bridgeville in April of last year.
Callaway says, "We all along didn't think it was an intentional homicide, this verdict isn't a shock."
Ross says it is a shock to her. She says the verdict will leave sorrow all around Seaford and Bridgeville, where both men are from.
The penalty phase begins next week. The 12 jurors and 4 alternates will return to court to decide if DeShields should get the death penalty.