An Iowa jury has returned a guilty verdict in connection with the brutal death of 19-year-old Marcellus Andrews, who was fatally beaten by a group of baseball bat-wielding thugs shouting gay slurs in Waterloo on August 19, 2011. Paris Anding was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter and faces up to 10 years in prison, reports the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier.
Paris Anding was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter by a Black Hawk County jury Friday afternoon. The verdict, which arrived after about nine hours of deliberation, was met by “amens” from the audience. Anding hugged his attorneys, Steve Addington and Jill Eimemann, upon hearing the outcome. He had been facing up to 50 years in prison if convicted on the originally charge of first-degree murder. Sentencing will be at a later date.
Andrews’ mother, Velma Andrews, said she harbors no hatred, but misses her son. "I put it in God’s hands, and God took care of it," she said following the verdict.
Witnesses said Marcellus Andrews was sitting on friend's porch when a truck pulled up, and a fight broke out between Andrews and the vehicle's occupants. The brutal beating started after several youths taunted Andrews and called him "faggot" and other gay slurs. Police believe that a "club or baseball bat" was used in the brutal beatdown.
Andrews was airlifted to the University of Iowa Hospitals with "severe head injuries." He remained on life support for two days. Marcellus Andrews was slated to start the interior design program at Hawkeye Community College only one week after he was killed. As the case drew national attention, Andrews family later claimed that he was not gay and did not want the case investigated as a hate crime.
You May Have Missed:
Suspect Arrested in Fatal Baseball Bat Beating of Iowa Teen
Slain Iowa Teen's Family Claims He Was "Not Gay"
IA Gov: No Link Between Fatal Anti Gay Attack, Marriage Debate
No Arrests After Fatal Anti-Gay Beating of Teen
Fatal Anti-Gay Beating Was Not a Hate Crime
The killer was initially charged with first degree murder. So how was he finally convicted of voluntary manslaughter?
Notice the sneer on the killer's face. That sneer is indicative of the killer's absolute CONTEMPT for his victim.
Posted by: elg | 23 April 2012 at 07:30