Brian T. Shaw, a former Syracuse University student, was found not guilty of second-degree murder, but guilty of first-degree manslaughter Thursday afternoon in the death of Chiarra Seals, the mother of his 5-year-old daughter, Essence.

Shaw was also found guilty of endangering the welfare of a child. First-degree manslaughter carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison.

The jury found Shaw was under extreme emotional disturbance at the time of Seals’ death. That reduces the responsibility from murder in the second degree to manslaughter in the first degree.

‘I think the jury was diligent,’ Defense Attorney Thomas Ryan said. ‘They probably reached the correct verdict.

However, Assistant District Attorney Michael Spano wasn’t so sure.

‘I think we proved our case beyond a reasonable doubt,’ he said. ‘I do respect that jury’s verdict.’

At 11 a.m. the jury requested the Hon. Judge Joseph E. Fahey explain the definition of affirmative defense and the proof it needed to decide that Shaw was under extreme emotional disturbance. They decided the three criteria had been met – that Shaw had extreme emotional distress, had acted under the influence of it and had an explanation for having emotional distress.

Jeffrey Seals, Chiarra Seals’ uncle, was extremely upset by the verdict.

‘Its hard to swallow, man,’ he said. ‘She was murdered – straight murdered.’

‘The evidence showed he killed her and then tried to cover it up,’ he said, asking who Shaw’s next victim will be when he is released from prison.

Seals’ grandmother, Katie Owens, said she would be satisfied if Shaw was kept in prison for as long as possible, and said she didn’t believe he would get out of prison in five years. Jeffrey Seals said he thought Shaw should get a life sentence or the death penalty.

Sentencing is set for March 1.

‘He will kill again if you set him loose,’ Owens said.

Owens was also adamant that Shaw would not get away with the death of her granddaughter.

‘Chiarra might be dead, but she ain’t buried,’ she said.

Owens said she felt Shaw was staging his emotions throughout the trial.

‘He wasn’t sorry when he put that cord around my granddaughter’s neck,’ she said after an emotional day.

Celeste Shaw, Brian’s mother, rushed from the courthouse moments after the verdict. But as she waited for the jury to deliberate, she crocheted a blanket, ate Hershey’s kisses and had a pink ribbon wrapped around the pinky finger of her left hand.

Ryan said he has never had a client charged with a crime of the magnitude of Shaw’s charges. He also said his client had a tremendous amount of support from the community.

‘He was clearly a well-liked person,’ he said, adding Shaw’s actions were out of character for him.’

Published on February 8, 2006 at 12:00 pm