Paris Anding convicted of lesser charge — voluntary manslaughter — in baseball bat killing of Marcellus Andrews last summer in Cedar Falls

Paris Anding shows how he hit Marcellus Andrews during his
murder trial Tuesday, April 17, 2012, in Waterloo, IA
(MATTHEW PUTNEY / Courier Photo Editor)

Although the most serious charge faced by Anding was second-degree murder, for which he could have received up to 50 years, KCRG reports that the jury also had the option of finding him guilty of a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, assault causing serious injury or assault causing bodily injury. They did so, choosing voluntary manslaughter.
     The jury returned its verdict today at about 2:30. Jurors deliberated 3-4 hours on Thursday and went home, after having sent five written questions to the judge.
     In Iowa, voluntary manslaughter is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison.
     Andrews was taunted with antigay slurs shortly before being killed, said witnesses, but at the time Waterloo police said they weren't informed of what their witnesses told the media, and refused to treat the murder as a hate crime. The incident resulting in Andrews' death capped a running feud between a female friend of Andrews and the father of her child.
     Despite the invectives about his sexual orientation, Andrews' family and friends claimed he wasn't gay.
     Anding's attorneys said he clubbed Andrews to protect his aunt from Andrews, whom they claim was wielding a pole. Prosecutors say Andrews had been threatened earlier, that Anding's aunt was an instigator of the final confrontation and that she herself was wielding a stick.
     Anding hugged his attorneys, Steve Addington and Jill Eimemann, upon hearing the outcome.