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Jury Finds Omar Long Guilty, Faces 15 Year Sentence

 Dave Wax  Ann Butler     Created: 11/18/2009 2:45:15 PM    Updated: 11/19/2009 4:32:05 AM
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ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- After five hours of deliberation, a jury has found Omar Long guilty of manslaughter, which carries a potential of 15 years in prison.

Long was initially charged with aggrevated manslaughter of a child and negligence of a child, but was found guilty of manslaughter, a lesser charge.

Within seconds of hearing the verdict, Long's family, who stood behind him throughout the trial, ran out of the courtroom and into the parking lot of the St. Johns County Courthouse. They began crying and screaming hysterically. One of those family members was the child's mother, LaShondia Anderson (Nikki), Long's then-girlfriend.

Several sheriff's deputies followed Long's family members to the parking lot. The family had no official comment, but did tell First Coast News Reporter Monica Landeros that the verdict was unfair and that Long didn't deserve this. They also said they are worried about his future.

BACKGROUND

Long drove his girlfriend to work early on the morning of June 14, then returned home and went to sleep. Their 23-month-old daughter Arianna was in the car, and died after being there for several hours. Long maintains he never knew she was in the car.

His condition that morning has been the subject of much attention. The prosecution says he was out all night drinking and came home less than an hour before he drove the girl's mother, and the girl, to work.

Testimony Wednesday involved people who say they were with Long that night.  One witness said she didn't see him drinking; another said he was not intoxicated, but may have had some drinks.

An investigator with the Department of Children and Families testified that Long said he didn't remember what happened after he dropped off his girlfriend at work.

The Medical Examiner said the girl's body temperature was close to 110 degrees after she was pronounced dead, and that hyperthermia was the cause of her death.

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