Christmas convicted in Wessinger death

An Iberville Parish Jury deliberated for an hour and 16 minuTes last week before finding Kendrick Christmas, 28, of Maringouin guilty of second degree murder in the 2009 shooting death of 22-year-old Nathaniel Wessinger, District Attonrey Richard J. Ward Jr. reported.

The 12-member jury, returning its verdicts last Thursday, also found Christmas guilty on two counts of attempted second degree murder, Ward said.

Christmas was arrested in May 2009 in the death of Wessinger, found shot multiple times at a community park in Maringouin in what authorities believed was part of an on-going feud. Wessinger was flown to a Baton Rouge hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

District Judge William C. Dupont, who presided over the two-day trial, set sentencing for 9 a.m. June 13.

Chief Criminal Prosecutor Tony Clayton and Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth A. Engolio handled the case for Ward's office.