A man accused of shooting and killing a coworker during a downtown Orlando shooting spree in November 2009 was found guilty Friday.
Shortly before 1 p.m., the jury began deliberations in the murder trial of Jason Rodriguez, who was charged with shooting six of his former co-workers at a downtown office building in November 2009, killing one, Otis Beckford.
Rodriguez had said he was angry that RS&H Engineering fired him and went on to say the company left him to rot.
He said he blamed RS&H for cutting off his unemployment checks after firing him, and that's why he went there with his loaded gun.
Rodriguez's sentencing has been scheduled for Dec. 18.
Earlier Friday, the prosecution and the defense argued during closing statements over whether Rodriguez was insane when he allegedly opened fire.
Prosecutors said Rodriguez was out for revenge the day of the shooting.
"He didn't shoot wildly. [He] didn't spray bullets. [He] targeted people and shot them two at a time," said prosecutor Ryan Williams.
"He took deliberate action inside that office building. Pow, pow. Silence. Walking. Pow, pow," said prosecutor Linda Drake.
After five days of testimony in a murder trial that has lasted two weeks, and with many of the victims and the defendant's mother looking on, the state insisted Rodriguez knew what he was doing the day he opened fire, and he knew that it was wrong.
But the defense said several psychiatric experts testified that Rodriguez is a paranoid schizophrenic with a long history of mental problems, who heard a voice in his head he called "Sharp Tooth."
"Acutely psychotic and delusional at the time. Acutely. That means 'very,'" said defense attorney Melissa Vickers.
The defense said Rodriguez believed there was a conspiracy to humiliate him, and then kill him.
"His reality is not consistent with the real world. (He was) acutely psychotic and delusional at the time," said Vickers.
The state is not seeking the death penalty and the jury was told that on the first day of trial.
"The state put on a good case, but the defense put on a compelling case for the insanity defense. I think this jury has a very tough decision ahead of them," said WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer.
RS&H Engineering released a statement following the verdict Friday: "We are satisfied with today's verdict. It helps bring closure to the entire RS&H family and particularly to the family of Otis Beckford."
"I did not think he was insane for one second. He knew what he was doing," Icilda Cole, the victim's mother, said.
"He should be miserable for the rest of the time of his life," Deleta Earle, the victim's grandmother said.
Sheaffer said an insanity verdict is extremely tough to get.
"Jurors want to hold someone responsible they don't want to cut someone loose that they believe is guilty and relying on insanity," Sheaffer said.
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