A 19-year-old named James Powell has been found guilty of second-degree murder in the case of the death of a Volusia County homeowner.
Powell had originally been charged with first-degree murder, but the jury of six found him guilty of the lesser charges.
The victim had become a quadriplegic and died last year after Powell and his friends crashed a party at the victim’s home.
Powell was not invited and pulled out a gun, shooting the victim.
Powell’s defense attorney argued that Powell and his friends received a third-hand invitation and claimed they were told to leave because they were black.
The defense also claimed that the victim and others used racial slurs and intimidated Powell.
The family of Powell did not want to comment, nor did the family of the victim.
The judge will take some time to consider Powell’s sentencing since he was a juvenile at the time, but Powell could still face up to life in prison.
