MAN FOUND GUILTY OF GRANDMOTHER'S MURDER.Byline: Alex Dobuzinskis Staff Writer PASADENA - After deliberating nearly 10 days, a jury found a Glendale man guilty of second-degree murder Thursday for killing his 92-year-old grandmother by lighting fire to the room where she was lying in bed. Antranik Khajarian, 38, who was accused of first-degree murder by prosecutors, still faces a maximum of life in prison when he is sentenced March 10. He was also found guilty of two counts of arson arson, at common law, the malicious and willful burning of the house of another. Originally, it was an offense against the security of habitation rather than against property rights. and another count of possession of flammable flam·ma·ble adj. Easily ignited and capable of burning rapidly; inflammable. [From Latin flamm material - the gasoline in a container he used to set the fire. Khajarian's mother, the daughter of victim Arpine Demerjian, testified in the trial and sat with her husband in court Thursday. Khajarian and his parents showed little emotion as the verdicts were read. ``I hope only happiness for this family,'' Deputy District Attorney Jean Daly said afterward af·ter·ward also af·ter·wards adv. At a later time; subsequently. Adv. 1. afterward - happening at a time subsequent to a reference time; "he apologized subsequently"; "he's going to the store but he'll be back here . ``They've gone through a lot of loss.'' Khajarian's attorney, Edward Rucker, presented evidence during the trial suggesting his client was simple-minded and had a history of mental illness. He had urged the jury to return a verdict of manslaughter. ``I'm not going to minimize that something isn't going on in him,'' Daly countered. ``He has some type of mental illness. However, it isn't a mental illness that would negate ne·gate tr.v. ne·gat·ed, ne·gat·ing, ne·gates 1. To make ineffective or invalid; nullify. 2. To rule out; deny. See Synonyms at deny. 3. his criminal responsibility.'' Rucker could not be reached for comment after the verdict. Daly argued during the trial that Khajarian used the gasoline and set down a trail of clothing and bedding to lead the fire from a heater to where his grandmother was lying in bed. Juror juror n. any person who actually serves on a jury. Lists of potential jurors are chosen from various sources such as registered voters, automobile registration or telephone directories. Shirley Hossain, 48, of Sunland said the jury wasn't sure Khajarian did set up the trail, and that was why they decided against first-degree murder. But the 11-woman, one-man jury was comfortable finding that he used gas to set the fire, she said. During the trial, Daly left open the possibility that the heater started the fire after Khajarian poured the gas in the room. But she suggested that Khajarian used a match. Jurors said returning a verdict in such a serious case was difficult emotionally, and that they took so long because they wanted to be diligent dil·i·gent adj. Marked by persevering, painstaking effort. See Synonyms at busy. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin d . ``You get frustrated frus·trate tr.v. frus·trat·ed, frus·trat·ing, frus·trates 1. a. To prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; thwart: because you want to make the right decision,'' Hossain said. ``You want to know what's going on Verb 1. know what's going on - be well-informed be on the ball, be with it, know the score, know what's what know - know how to do or perform something; "She knows how to knit"; "Does your husband know how to cook?" and do good.'' Alex Dobuzinskis, (818) 546-3304 alex.dobuzinskis(at)dailynews.com |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion