OXNARD : Defendant Guilty of Manslaughter

An Oxnard man charged with shooting his sister’s estranged boyfriend and killing the boyfriend’s cousin was convicted Wednesday of involuntary manslaughter and attempted voluntary manslaughter.

However, after 3 1/2 days of deliberation, the Superior Court jury acquitted 21-year-old Zolly Terry Jr. of murder and attempted murder--the charges filed by prosecutors.

The jury verdict means that the former Ventura College student will face a prison term of about 16 years at his July 21 sentencing, prosecutors said. If convicted of the original charges, Terry could have been sentenced to life.

Prosecutors say Terry walked into a Friedrich Lane apartment Oct. 24 and opened fire on Jerome Hurst, 25, and Vernon Hunter, 27. Hunter survived the shooting, but Hurst died.

Terry told the jury that Hunter was shot after pulling a gun on him and that Hurst was reaching for a gun. Police found no gun on Hunter but did find a handgun in Hurst’s jacket pocket, Deputy Dist. Atty. James D. Ellison said.

Outside court Wednesday, Ellison expressed disappointment in the verdict. Ellison said the jury probably put more weight into the victims’ backgrounds than the trial evidence.

According to testimony, Hurst was a gang member and Hunter a drug dealer.

“They look at the defendant and the victims and they make a moral judgment,” Ellison said. Terry’s attorney, Steven Pell, refused to comment outside court.

Jury foreman Rollo Opp said the jury deliberated carefully.

“We discussed this thing long and hard, and we felt the decisions were the right ones,” said Opp, who would not divulge initial votes.