Updated 08/20/2010 11:14 AM

Jury finds Garner mother guilty of first-degree murder

By: Amy Thorpe

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RALEIGH—A jury found a Garner mother guilty of first degree murder in the death of her son.

Jurors decided Sherita McNeil is responsible for 19-month-old Devarion Gross' death that happened 2 years ago. It took two days of deliberations for the jury to come to a decision, but ultimately the jury decided Sherita McNeil is guilty of killing her son—dousing his body in bleach, wrapping him up in plastic bags and hiding his body in her closet.

Prosecutors said that it was an extremely difficult case to handle.

"Obviously I'm happy that she was held responsible for the murder of her child but, you saw tears of the jurors and even from the judge. There's nothing that makes me feel good about the death of a child," said Melanie Skekita, assistant district attorney.

McNeil was calm when she heard the verdict. Before they made their decision, jurors asked another time to listen to a phone call between McNeil and the father of one of her children, Ira James.

One juror said that it was that phone call that convinced him McNeil was to blame.

"By her own admissions she hated him, and she didn't want him," said James Powers, juror.

During the trail, jurors heard tape of phone calls between McNeil and James where she told him she hates Devarion and abuses him. Yesterday the jury asked to review letters that McNeil had written to Devarion's father—Eric Chambers. Prosecutors said James and McNeil had a plan to say she was raped and forced to keep Davarion.

The defense has argued that the toddler fell off the bed and hit his head. But prosecutors have said if it was an accident why didn't McNeil call 911. McNeil's attorney said because she was afraid Chambers, who was a gang member, could have killed her. But the prosecution countered that argument with the letters in which McNeil said she wanted to be with Chambers.

McNeil will now spend life in prison without the possibility of parole.