Kwan Kearney and Jeremy Risper were both found guilty on all counts, including premeditated first-degree murder this afternoon in the Nov. 14, 2010 shooting death of Jamal Demetrius Wilson.
The jury of four men and eight women returned the verdict after less than three hours of deliberation.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 15. Kearney and Risper asked, through their attorneys, that they be sentenced at the same time on that day.
Prosecutors Michael Ortwein and David Sayboldt yesterday asked the jury to find the men guilty of killing Wilson, saying that Kearney and Risper were equal participants in a chase and shootout that left the 19-year-old dead.
In surveillance videos played into evidence, Wilson and his friends are seen passing through a neighborhood and parking lot. Kearney and Risper are seen following them. In the parking lot, Kearney drops something and stops to pick it up. Risper raises his right hand in a shrug-like gesture.
Prosecutors say the videos show Wilson and his friends running from Kearney and Risper. They say the item Kearney drops is a gun and that the gesture Risper makes is one of, “Come on, let’s go.”
Wilson was killed in a shootout just moments later. A .45-caliber bullet struck him in the side. Prosecutors said Kearney fired a .45-caliber weapon that night but that Risper was firing at Wilson at the same time. Wilson is believed to have returned fire.
Risper was convicted of first degree murder while armed and two weapons charges. Kearney was convicted of first degree murder while armed and three weapons charges.
