BARTOW, FL -- William Brown has been found guilty of robbing and murdering Ryan Skipper.
A Polk County jury began deliberations shortly after 12:30 p.m. this afternoon.
Skipper's body was found with 19 stab wounds on the side of a Polk County road in 2007. Prosecutors say it was a hate crime because Skipper, 25, was gay.
His family was inside the courtroom today. It did not appear that anyone was there for for the defendant, William Brown.
The majority of the morning was spent playing a 40 minute videotaped interview with Brown.
In the video, Brown told detectives he saw Skipper with stab wounds to the neck and back. He stated he remembered hearing loud music, but said he did not see who stabbed Skipper.
Brown said he had blacked out. He did admit to stealing Skipper's car and setting it on fire.
Prosecutors say the videotape is enough to convict Brown.
The defense claims Brown admitted to stealing the car and was willingly interviewed, and even gave his clothing to investigators.
The defense also says there is no real physical that shows Brown was the killer. Brown did not take the stand.
A second defendant, Joseph Bearden, was found guilty of second-degree murder earlier this year and sentenced to life in prison.
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