JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Duval County jury deliberated about six hours Friday before finding John Mosely Jr. guilty of two counts of first-degree murder.
Prosecutors said Mosley abducted Lynda Wilkes and 10-month-old Jay-Quan, after meeting her in April 2004 about paying child support for Jay-Quan. Mosely denies that he was the baby's father, but was scheduled to appear at a paternity hearing.
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In more than four hours of closing arguments Thursday, both sides tried to help the jury make sense out of 37 witnesses, tons of evidence and days of testimony.
Prosecutors reminded the jury of DNA evidence, phone records and the testimony of the 16-year-old boy who said he witnessed Mosley commit the murder of Wilkes and put the crying child in a garbage bag.
Wilkes' burned body was found a few days later in woods near Waldo. Jay-Quan's body was never found.
Defense attorneys claimed that Mosley did not have enough time to commit the murders and that the law enforcement testimony evolved to make Mosley appear guilty.
Mosley, who did not testify during the trial, broke his courtroom silence as he was lead away after the verdict.
"You didn't even let us tell all our evidence," he said in an outburst directed to the judge. "What about the people that Jay-Quan alive at 2:45? How'd I kill him?"
As they left the courtroom after the verdict was read, relatives of Wilkes were overcome with emotion, one falling to her knees.
"This wasn't my fight or my family's fight, it was God's fight," a Wilkes family member said.
The penalty phase of the trial is scheduled for Nov. 30. The state says they will seek the death penalty.
Previous Stories:
- November 17, 2005: Defendant's Wife Last Witness In His Double-Murder Trial
- November 15, 2005: Defendant In Double Murder Trial May Testify
- November 10, 2005: Witness Tells Of Screaming Baby Being Stuffed Into Bag
- November 9, 2005: Prosecution To Seek Death Penalty In Deaths Of Mother, Child
- November 7, 2005: Man Goes On Trial For Allegedly Killing Woman, 10-Month-Old Son
- May 28, 2004: Man Accused Of Killing Woman, Infant Pleads Not Guilty
- May 7, 2004: Mosley Charged With Killing Ex-Girlfriend, Baby
- May 3, 2004: Police Search South Georgia Landfill For Baby's Body
- May 3, 2004: Mosley In Court For Paternity Hearing
- April 30, 2004: Mosley Jailed; Investigation Into Missing Woman, Baby Continues
- April 28, 2004: More Police, Volunteers Search For Missing Mom, Baby