Va. Beach jury convicts man in Cox student's slaying - The Virginian-Pilot
VIRGINIA BEACH
A Circuit Court jury this afternoon convicted a man of killing an 18-year-old Cox High School student nearly 2 1/2 years ago, apparently over a cross necklace, and recommended he go to prison for 33 years.
The jury found Sheldon Swilling, now 22, guilty of first-degree murder, attempted robbery and two counts of using a firearm in a felony. A judge scheduled sentencing for Dec. 13, according to the commonwealth's attorney's office.
Isiah Jones and a classmate were in a car outside the former Jumpin Monkey child-play center at the Lynnhaven Crossing Shopping Center on April 10, 2009, when a man approached them, pointed a gun and demanded Jones hand over the long silver chain he was wearing, according to witness testimony.
Jones was shot once through the chest, a medical examiner said in court Wednesday. The bullet pierced both lungs and his heart, and Jones died at the scene.
Police charged Swilling three weeks later.
Prosecutors said during closing arguments this morning that Swilling confessed to the shooting and robbery attempt in a recorded interview with a detective. Jurors watched the one-hour video Wednesday.
Prosecutors also said Swilling told a friend about the killing shortly after it happened.
Swilling's attorney, Afshin Farashahi, said his client did not confess and that the detective in the interview offered up details about the crime. Farashahi played a 911 recording in which the caller describes the gunman as possibly a white person. Swilling is black. Also, no fingerprints or DNA evidence linked him to the scene, he said.
A prosecution witness testified fingerprints and DNA are not always left behind.
"There's reasonable doubt here," Farashahi said. "Plenty of it."
30 Sep, 2011--
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