A Cleveland County District Court jury has found Kevin Ray Underwood, 28, guilty of first degree muder in the death of 10-year-old neighbor Jamie Rose Bolin.
After a week of testimony capped with a video confession, the jury deliberated less than an hour before reaching their decision this morning.
The decision marks the end of the first phase of the trial.
District Attorney Greg Mashburn is seeking the death penalty for Underwood, which will require another phase of testimony, after which the jury will again deliberate.
In his opening statements, defense attorney Matthew Haire said he would ask the jury to "spare the life of Kevin Underwood."
Haire alluded to Underwood's difficult childhood and the antidepressants Underwood was taking at the time of his arrest. He described Underwood as a "very troubled, reclusive young man."
Underwood abducted Bolin when she came to his Purcell home and asked to see his pet rat.
Underwood Trial
March 3, 2008
Jury finds Underwood guilty
- Underwood Trial
-
- Jury deliberates in Underwood trial The jury began deliberations at about 3 p.m. today to determine the punishment for Kevin Ray Underwood in the first-degree murder of Jamie Rose Bolin.
- Question emerges as jury deliberates The jury in the Kevin Ray Underwood case has passed a question and two requests to the court.
- Attorneys prepare jury for deliberations Attorney for the state told the jury to choose the death penalty for Kevin Ray Underwood today during closing arguments.
- Jury to deliberate this afternoon in Underwood trial Both sides rested their cases in the first-degree murder trial of Kevin Ray Underwood this morning.
- State's rebuttal witness testifies Kevin Ray Underwood would pose a higher risk of reoffending than another psychologist testified, the state's rebuttal witness said in court this morning.
- Family of Bolin praises Underwood’s death sentence The jury’s decision to punish Kevin Ray Underwood with death was an emotional one, for both jurors and family members.
- Inside Underwood's mind Kevin Ray Underwood’s personality and mood disorders could be medicated and that would potentially control his deviant sexual impulses, a psychiatrist specializing in sexual impulse disorders testified in court Wednesday.
- Underwood's disorders could be medicated to keep him in line, psychiatrist says Kevin Ray Underwood's disorders could be medicated and that would potentially make his deviant sexual impulses decrease, a psychiatrist specializing in sexual impulse disorders testified in court this morning.
- Tests claims Underwood not a psychopath, also could have faked answers Kevin Ray Underwood would pose a low risk for violence if he were sent to prison, said Dr. Antoinette McGarrahan, a clinical psychologist.
- State questions psychologist's opinion Underwood would not pose threat to others Assistant District Attorney Susan Caswell tried to cast doubt on psychologist Robert Prentky's assertion that Underwood would not pose a continuing threat to society, in court this afternoon.
- More Underwood Trial Headlines
