10-15-2016, 11:02 AM
Sean Phillips -- Guilty of Second Degree Murder
![[Image: kate-sean-phillips-ariel-courtland.jpg?w=650]](https://lintvwood.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/kate-sean-phillips-ariel-courtland.jpg?w=650)
Last night, after two days of deliberation following a three week trial, the jury found Baby Kate's father, Sean Phillips (pictured center), guilty of the highest count legally available to them.
Phillips was convicted of second degree murder. He will be sentenced at a later date to anywhere between 10 years and life with the possibility of parole, on top of the 10 years he's already serving for abducting the baby.
Phillips and Ariel Courtland (pictured right) were in a volatile relationship when he drove off angrily with his infant daughter in June, 2011. He had denied that the baby (who was the second child for the young couple) was fathered by him to his family. DNA later confirmed he was the father.
He turned off his phone for 2 hours after that and baby Kate was never seen again. When Philips was arrested, he had the baby girl's clothes in his pocket.
The prosecution wanted first degree murder, but since the baby has never been found and there was evidence that the couple was considering giving her up for adoption (Phillips first said he gave the baby away) or that the baby was killed without premeditation (Phillips later claimed he accidentally killed the baby), the judge narrowed the jury's options to second degree murder or manslaughter.
Last night, after two days of deliberation following a three week trial, the jury found Baby Kate's father, Sean Phillips (pictured center), guilty of the highest count legally available to them.
Phillips was convicted of second degree murder. He will be sentenced at a later date to anywhere between 10 years and life with the possibility of parole, on top of the 10 years he's already serving for abducting the baby.
Phillips and Ariel Courtland (pictured right) were in a volatile relationship when he drove off angrily with his infant daughter in June, 2011. He had denied that the baby (who was the second child for the young couple) was fathered by him to his family. DNA later confirmed he was the father.
He turned off his phone for 2 hours after that and baby Kate was never seen again. When Philips was arrested, he had the baby girl's clothes in his pocket.
The prosecution wanted first degree murder, but since the baby has never been found and there was evidence that the couple was considering giving her up for adoption (Phillips first said he gave the baby away) or that the baby was killed without premeditation (Phillips later claimed he accidentally killed the baby), the judge narrowed the jury's options to second degree murder or manslaughter.