The prosecution and defense attorney's gave the all woman jury the case in the second-degree murder trial of James Edward White, about 6:30 p.m. Friday.
After about four hours of deliberations the all woman jury found White guilty of voluntary manslaughter for the shotgun slaying of his wife, Candice, on November 26, 2006.
During the week-long trial in Christian County Circuit Court Prosecutor Ron Cleek painted a picture of a violent man for the jury. And a home where there was more than one instance of domestic violence in the White household.
Cleek and his Chief Assistant Donovan Dobbs told the jury that White choked his wife, Candi, while they were in Talladega, then pulled a gun on her there too.
The couple's son, BW, who is now 7-years-old, said in a deposition that he remembered the night when he was 4. He said his mom and dad were arguing and that she had a knife....but that she put it down and was attempting to leave with him, but that his father kept yelling at them as they tried to leave.
If there is one thing to be thankful for, it is that the little boy was in a truck when the shooting took place.
Highway Patrol Investigator Mike Rogers told jurors that cops discovered White kneeling next to his wife's body ---a 12-gauge shotgun lay nearby. He said that White changed his story a couple of times as to how Candi ended up with a gunshot wound in the forehead.
Defense Attorney Robin Aiken said fingerprints that belonged to both James and Candi White were on the gun because their was a tussle over the gun, and that it discharged accidentally as they fought over it.
Cleek says that, "DNA, blood splatter patterns and gunshot residue test results told the story." "She was shot as the gun was pointed upward, he told jurors....there were even pellets removed from the ceiling, he said."
The defense only called two witnesses to the stand today...both of them were at a card game earlier in the evening with James White.
Candi White was 25-years-old and about four and a half months pregnant when she was killed inside the family's home at 304 South Eighth Street in Ozark.
Christian County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Donovan Dobbs says, "we would have liked to have had a second-degree murder conviction. The jury worked hard and we respect their decision."
Sentencing for James White is scheduled for November 6th in Christian County.
After about four hours of deliberations the all woman jury found White guilty of voluntary manslaughter for the shotgun slaying of his wife, Candice, on November 26, 2006.
During the week-long trial in Christian County Circuit Court Prosecutor Ron Cleek painted a picture of a violent man for the jury. And a home where there was more than one instance of domestic violence in the White household.
Cleek and his Chief Assistant Donovan Dobbs told the jury that White choked his wife, Candi, while they were in Talladega, then pulled a gun on her there too.
The couple's son, BW, who is now 7-years-old, said in a deposition that he remembered the night when he was 4. He said his mom and dad were arguing and that she had a knife....but that she put it down and was attempting to leave with him, but that his father kept yelling at them as they tried to leave.
If there is one thing to be thankful for, it is that the little boy was in a truck when the shooting took place.
Highway Patrol Investigator Mike Rogers told jurors that cops discovered White kneeling next to his wife's body ---a 12-gauge shotgun lay nearby. He said that White changed his story a couple of times as to how Candi ended up with a gunshot wound in the forehead.
Defense Attorney Robin Aiken said fingerprints that belonged to both James and Candi White were on the gun because their was a tussle over the gun, and that it discharged accidentally as they fought over it.
Cleek says that, "DNA, blood splatter patterns and gunshot residue test results told the story." "She was shot as the gun was pointed upward, he told jurors....there were even pellets removed from the ceiling, he said."
The defense only called two witnesses to the stand today...both of them were at a card game earlier in the evening with James White.
Candi White was 25-years-old and about four and a half months pregnant when she was killed inside the family's home at 304 South Eighth Street in Ozark.
Christian County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Donovan Dobbs says, "we would have liked to have had a second-degree murder conviction. The jury worked hard and we respect their decision."
Sentencing for James White is scheduled for November 6th in Christian County.
******Greg Brock contributed to this story.
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