Jurors rejected more serious charges of murder and aggravated manslaughter in the shooting death of Michael Whitaker
Ivelis Turell, 31, is taken into custody by Mercer County Sheriff's officers after she was found guilty on Thursday, March 21, 2013 of manslaughter in the shooting death her live-in boyfriend, Michael Whitaker, in 2007. Jurors in Superior Court Judge Pedro Jimenez's Trenton courtroom rejected more serious charges of murder and aggravated manslaughter. The 12-member jury panel began deliberating on March 13. Two days later, they said that they were unable to make a unanimous decision, but Jimenez ordered them to continue deliberations.
TRENTON – A Trenton woman was found guilty today of manslaughter in the shooting death her live-in boyfriend in 2007, but jurors rejected more serious charges of murder and aggravated manslaughter.
Ivelis Turell, 31, was ordered taken into custody by Superior Court Judge Pedro Jimenez pending sentencing, which is scheduled for June.
As officers cuffed Turell, members of her family began to cry.
Jurors deliberated for a week before reaching the verdict today.
Turell was initially charged with murder and weapons offenses in the 2007 shooting death of her live-in boyfriend Michael Whitaker.
The 12-member jury panel began deliberating on March 13. Two days later they said that they were unable to make a unanimous decision, but Jimenez ordered them to continue deliberations.
During the trial, prosecutors argued that Turell was angry that Whitaker threatened to leave her and their two young children. She grabbed his handgun out of the closet and shot him in the chest, prosecutors said.
Police testified in the case that Turell originally told them that her 6-year-old son was playing with the gun when it went off, but later changed her story, saying that she had the gun when it went off.
Turell, who testified in her defense, said that Whitaker pointed the gun at her and it went off when she tried to get it away from him.
Turrell faces five to 10 years in prison on the manslaughter charge.
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