SAN ANTONIO – The wife of a 44-year-old man convicted of fatally shooting a man he claimed kidnapped his daughter begged jurors for mercy for her husband.
"Anything that I would ever have wanted in a man he was, and is," Lauren Porter told the jury during the punishment phase in the trial of William Porter. "I beg and pray that you will. You've made the decision you've made, and I respect that, and I understand. But if you can find it in your heart, this is a great man."
During his trial, the defendant testified that the shooting of Trayvouns Edwards, 23, on Christmas Day 2013 was justified.
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Porter claimed that he was rescuing his 20-year-old daughter after Edwards allegedly kidnapped the defendant's daughter and held her captive for four days.
The defendant was found guilty Friday of murder.
Edwards' cousin, April Herron, testified that the killing has devastated their family.
"It kind of tore us apart," Herron told jurors. "But this trial is something that's bringing us back together."
Prosecutors want the jury to sentence Porter to life in prison.
Jurors deliberated for four hours Tuesday but didn't make a decision. They will resume deliberating Wednesday morning.
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They called a man to the witness stand who told jurors that Porter shot him 26 years ago.
Cal Jordan testified that Porter was angry because his sister had broken up with the defendant.
In that case, Porter was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to prison.
