A man convicted of killing his stepfather admitted Friday that he was prepared to hear a guilty verdict in an interview with a local television reporter.
Jurors found Nathaniel Gann guilty Wednesday of first-degree murder in the 2007 case involving his stepfather, Rolando resident Timothy MacNeil. His sister, Brae Hansen, was found guilty of first degree murder Thursday. Unlike her brother, Hansen was also found guilty of a special circumstance allegation of lying in wait.
MacNeil, a criminal defense attorney, was shot and killed in his home in July 2007. MacNeil was tied up and shot to death by Gann during what was a staged robbery, prosecutors believe.
Gann spoke from behind bars, denying that he killed his stepfather and saying he planned to appeal, according to a published report. He believes the verdict could've been worse.
"I hadn't expected it but I was prepared for it," he said.
“It actually relieved a bunch of tension,” Gann said. “Because there was significantly more on the table. They were trying to get life without the possibility of parole."
“Obviously the jury saw through the evidence that, you know, I did not fire any kind of firearm, period, and such things so I didn’t have to face those types of special circumstance allegations. So when those came back negative it was such a relief,” he said
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Prosecutors believe Hansen was mad at MacNeil and that she and her brother allegedly tried to make the slaying look like a phony home invasion robbery.
Hansen confessed to planning the murder with Gann, according to police. Defense attorneys, however, maintain that her rights were violated.
Even Hansen's defense attorneys didn't argue Hansen didn't plan the attack. "Brae Hansen made a horrible mistake," said defense attorney Troy Britt.
The siblings could both be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
About his future, Gann said “Stories like mine don’t have happy endings.”
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Hansen on June 22.
