Blades Found Guilty After Verdict Read, Juror Tells Judge She Wants To Reverse Guilty Vote

Seattle Seahawks receiver Brian Blades could face up to 10 years in prison after he was convicted Friday for manslaughter in the shooting death of his cousin.

Blades, who claimed the death was an accident, showed no emotion as the verdict of the six-member jury was announced.

He did not comment when he walked out of the courtroom with an entourage that included his brother, Bennie Blades, a Detroit Lions free safety, and other family members.

As the Blades family emerged from the Broward County courtroom, supporters chanted: “Keep your head up, Brian! Keep your head up!”

His lawyers described their client as “disappointed.”

“Brian was very surprised,” said Blades’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus. “He was confident that he would be acquitted. But he’s strong. He’s hanging in there.”

Blades, 30, remained free on $10,000 bond.

Less than an hour after the verdict, Circuit Judge Susan Lebow told prosecutors and defense attorneys that a juror had come forward wanting to change her vote. Details on the conversation between the judge and the juror who changed her mind were not available.

Motions for acquittal or mistrial will be heard on Monday by Lebow, including one defense lawyers said they planned to file Friday over the juror’s expressed wish to change her vote.

The judge “expressed the juror’s opinion that she was unhappy with the verdict and that the verdict was, in fact, something she wanted to change,” said defense attorney Bruce Zimet. “The evidence did not support the jury’s finding of manslaughter and that’s what we’re going to be arguing on Monday.

“This is a man’s life that we’re talking about,” Zimet said. “This is a man who, obviously, is at the crossroads of his life because of this jury’s determination.”

Prosecutor Peter Magrino said all the jurors were polled after the verdict was read, and he couldn’t understand how one could suddenly have a change of heart.

“Until I see what the allegations were, it would be speculation on my part,” Magrino said.

Charles Blades was killed when he tried to defuse an argument between the two brothers, Brian and Bennie, in the early hours of July 5, 1995.

The shooting occurred after the Blades brothers and their cousin spent the night drinking in celebration of Fourth of July.

When the three returned in a limousine, an argument erupted between Bennie Blades and his ex-girlfriend, Carol Jamerson, over the care of the couple’s daughter. When Brian Blades tried to intercede, the brothers fought and Brian said he was going to get his gun, according to testimony.

Brian and Charles later scuffled over the gun at Brian’s townhouse. Charles Blades died of a single gunshot wound.

Blades, who caught a career-high 81 passes for 1,086 yards in 1994, could find his pro career in jeopardy. He has played for the Seahawks for eight seasons.

“We support Brian. We supported him from the start of this thing, we continue to support him and we’ll always support him,” said Seahawks coach Dennis Erickson.

“We’re basically going to wait and see what happens.

Blades originally pleaded no contest to the shooting May 1, hoping to spare his family the ordeal of trial. He changed his mind May 17, but the jury of four men and two women did not believe his story that the shooting was a tragic accident.

“I didn’t want to keep one or two of these jurors,” Blades’ attorney, Fred Haddad, said after the verdict. “It was not a happy panel … They’ve proved simple negligence, if they’ve proved anything.”

The defense presented no witnesses on Blades’ behalf and the defendant did not take the stand. Jurors got the case shortly after noon Wednesday and took 6 hours to deliberate Thursday and Friday.