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Verdict reached in Virginia lacrosse murder trial

Reuters - 02/22/2012

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A jury on Wednesday found former University of Virginia lacrosse player George Huguely V guilty of seconddegree murder in the 2010 death of his exgirlfriend.

Huguely 24 faces five to 40 years in prison for the charge less than the lifelong sentence he could have received if found guilty of firstdegree murder as charged.

The jury deliberated for about nine hours.

Jurors also found Huguely guilty of grand larceny punishable by one day to 20 years in prison. He was found not guilty of the remaining charges he faced.

Prosecutors say Huguely walked into 22yearold Yeardley Love's apartment while she was asleep kicked in her bedroom door and slammed her head against the wall.

Prosecution expert witnesses said Love from Cockeysville Maryland died about two hours later from blunt force trauma to the head.

Huguely and Love were both seniors and members of the university's nationally ranked men's and women's lacrosse teams at the time.

The trial drew national media attention to the quiet college town of Charlottesville Virginia.

Defense attorneys argued prosecutors failed to prove Huguely intended to kill Love and suggested instead she suffocated in her bloody pillow.

In his closing argument defense attorney Francis Lawrence acknowledged Huguely played a role in Love's death.

The defense said Huguely had visited Love in an attempt to patch up their relationship and was intoxicated loud and clumsy the night of her death. Huguely told police he may have shaken Love a little bit but said she hit her own head against the wall.

Huguely of Chevy Chase Maryland did not testify during the trial.

Reporting by Brandon Shulleeta Writing by Colleen Jenkins Editing by Daniel Trotta