A Grady County jury has found Andrea Sledge guilty of the second-degree murder of Maurice Givens.

The jury spent four hours deliberating Friday afternoon before returning a verdict with a sentence of life in prison.

On the second charge of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty.

Conflicting testimony between Chickasha Officer Seth Thompson and former Chickasha Officer Doug Mabry appeared to have caused a problem for the jury. Thompson reported that the drug fell down from behind the back seat when officers shook the seat. Mabry had told the jury “ain’t no way” someone could get behind the back of the seat.

During their deliberations, the jury did ask to see the police vehicle for themselves. The judge, however, responded that the jurors had all of the pertinent information already before them.

Two other questions did come from the jury while in deliberations.

The jurors asked for a television and DVD player to watch the video of the scene taken by Fire Marshal Agent Judah Shepard.

The jurors also asked, “Is there proof that the ex-husband did not come through the window with rage and revenge?”

The question appeared to take both sides by surprise and prosecutor Lesley March asked that the judge verify that the question was from the jury in this case.

In response to the question, the court sent notice back that the jury had all of the information it needed to consider the case.

The jurors were allowed a means to view the DVD from Shepard though.

Sledge held her head in her hands as the jury’s verdict was read. Defense counsel asked for the jurors to be polled and one by one each confirmed that this was their verdict.

“We’ll never know why,” Assistant District Attorney Lesley March said in her closing, “we don’t have to prove why.”

The elements of second-degree murder does not require that the defense had to prove Sledge was trying to kill Givens with her actions, only that she did.

March said, though, she felt the evidence clearly showed the defendants intent when she bound the feet of the victim, dowsed the area with accelerant, lit the fire, blocked the door with the china cabinet, and reportedly disabled the fire alarms.

The defense argued that the crime alleged by the state takes preparation, and Sledge had under two hours to complete all of the allegations.

Attorney Myra Bell asked the jury to ask themselves, “Does this make sense?”

Did it makes sense that Sledge would kill the one man who had taken her in when she needed a place to stay?

In her final closing, March answered no.

March said it did not make sense for Sledge to kill Givens, and that was a sign of her depraved mind.

“And let the State be clear,” March said in response to the statements made during the trial concerning the two Lawton Firefighters, “Bart Hadley is a hero. Dewayne Burk is a hero.”

March said the two men risked their lives to save Maurice’s, but they were too late.

She asked the jury to sentence Sledge to the maximum of life in prison, her life in exchange for her victim’s.

The jury agreed.

As an 85 percent crime, Sledge will have to serve at least 38 years before becoming eligible for parole.