The judge has finished giving final instructions and the jury has the case to begin deliberations in the murder trial of Baton Rouge rapper Lil Boosie.
The jury received the case around 2:30 p.m.
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District Attorney Hillar Moore said once the jury gets the case for Lil Boosie, whose real name is Torence Hatch, it can return one of the following verdicts:
- Guilty of first-degree murder
- Guilty of second-degree murder
- Guilty of manslaughter
- Not guilty
The death penalty is not on the table for this trial, so a conviction of first-degree or second-degree murder would mean life in prison.
The sentence for a manslaughter conviction ranges from five years to 40 years.
The prosecution offered its closing first starting around 9:30 a.m. The defense then gave its closing. Prosecutors were given a chance to speak to the jury one last time and finished around 2 p.m.
The judge then gave jurors instructions and they were sent to deliberate the case.
Defense attorneys for Hatch rested their case Thursday afternoon without calling any witnesses.
Attorney Jason Williams told jurors Thursday the defense was resting its case based on the fact the burden of proof lies with the state and based on the testimony of the state’s witnesses.
The prosecution had rested its case around 2:44 p.m. after six days of testimony from 27 witnesses.
The 29-year-old rapper faces a first-degree murder charge.
Prosecutors contend Hatch hired Michael “Marlo Mike” Louding to kill Terry Boyd, 35, who was shot to death through a window while inside his home in 2009.
Hatch is currently serving an 8-year prison term on drug charges and is being held in the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola.
Click here for additional background information on the case
