Crime & Safety

Campbell Guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter

Jurors found Isaac Campbell guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the death of his ex-girlfriend.

A jury convicted Isaac Campbell of voluntary manslaughter Friday in the 2007 death of his ex-girlfriend Liya "Jessie" Lu after deliberating less than two days.

The panel also found Campbell guilty of felony possession and transportation of marijuana for sale. He is scheduled to appear at the Superior Courthouse in Alhambra for sentencing next month, and faces a maximum sentence of 15 years with credit for the five years he's already served.

, but deadlocked 10-2 in favor of conviction on whether was guilty of second-degree murder or manslaughter.

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Defense lawyers James Duffy reacted to Friday's verdict with visible relief.

"The system works, that's what I think," he said just outside the courtroom."I think it was a fair result, and the jury took their jobs seriously.

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Jurors declined to speak with media following the reading of the verdict.

Prosecutor Steve Ipson said the most difficult aspect in proving his case was not having a .

"We had a lot of issues to clear in this case," he said. "I think we cleared those issues and they were resolved in favor of the people's evidence.

Prosecutors say Campbell killed his ex-girlfriend, Liya "Jessie" Lu, 31, by placing her in a "sleeper hold," a martial arts move that induces cardiac arrhythmia by compression of the carotid arteries.

He then dumped her body in a trash can filled with cat litter and


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