Jury Finds Cherry Guilty Of Murder Ex-Boyfriend Convicted Of Killing Susan Foutz At Hauser Lake Home Last June

A jury found Steven A. Cherry guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated battery and aggravated assault Tuesday afternoon after five hours of deliberation.

Cherry showed no emotion as the verdict was read, but family members of Susan Foutz, the Hauser Lake woman killed in a shooting at her home last June, sighed and clasped their hands together in relief.

“Thank the prosecution,” said an emotional George Foutz, Foutz’s husband. Although the two were in the process of divorce at the time of her death, he attended the entire trial and wept joyfully with other family members outside the courthouse after the verdict.

“Justice was done and it was closure for losing my client,” said the women’s center court advocate who represented Foutz before her death. The advocate declined to give her name, citing client confidentiality.

“To me it’s a message to other women that justice is done when there is violence. This is an important message.”

Family members thanked Deputy Prosecutor Traci Post, who said she was “very happy” about the verdict in her first high-profile murder trial.

Prosecutor Bill Douglas credited the eight female and four male jurors for a “courageous verdict,” and said his office would announce next week whether it plans to seek the death penalty.

“I’ll be spending lots of time with the survivors of Ms. Foutz,” Douglas said. “Their desires will be taken into consideration and be made part of the sentencing hearing.”

Punishment for first-degree murder ranges from life in prison, with a minimum of 10 years, to the death penalty. Cherry also faces up to 15 years for aggravated battery, up to five years for aggravated assault and an additional 15 years on weapons violations.

During closing arguments, Post pointed repeatedly at Cherry, angrily raising her voice as she described how Susan Foutz told her ex-boyfriend, “I want you out of my life,” then only 72 hours later, Cherry took hers.

Defense Attorney John Adams, meanwhile, argued that an enraged Cherry “just snapped,” and asked the jury to judge Cherry on the evidence, not emotion.

Adams declined comment after the verdict.

, DataTimes