After hearing hours of testimony that at times was technical and complex, jurors took a full day and a half to reach a unanimous verdict in Alex West's trial. As Matt Hunter reports, in the end, the jury was convinced the Lake George man was at fault for the crash that claimed eight-year-old Charlotte McCue's life.
QUEENSBURY, N.Y. -- After sitting through a more-than three-week trial that produced hours of often emotional and heartbreaking testimony, Robert Knarr was far from celebratory once defendant Alexander West was found guilty of eight of the 12 counts he faced Monday, including the most severe charges of second degree manslaughter and second degree assault.
"This is a hollow victory for us, because we don't have Charlotte," said Knarr, who spoke on behalf of his entire family. "It's a big win, but I will tell you every one of us here would trade this victory and probably our lives to have Charlotte back."
Knarr, who broke down on the witness stand during his own testimony on April 27, was driving his antique Garwood boat across Lake George on the night of July 25 when West's Larson model boat struck from the rear. Knarr's granddaughter, 8-year-old Charlotte McCue, was killed almost instantly and her mother, Courtney, was badly hurt. Prosecutors said West spent the day at Lake George's annual Log Bay Day celebration drinking and doing drugs with friends.
"Today and this whole last two weeks was a redo of the most horrible night in our lives," Knarr said.
"I think this is a collective victory for everyone who wants the truth to be known and justice served," Warren County District Attorney Kate Hogan said.
Along with the testimony of her 35 witnesses, Hogan says grainy surveillance footage of the crash was essential in convincing jurors West was responsible.
"It's better to be born lucky than smart," Hogan said. "That surveillance video was, I think, our best piece of evidence, and just so you know, that surveillance equipment went in the day before."
Also emotional after the verdict was West's defense attorney Cheryl Coleman.
"A little piece of our hearts are broken today," Coleman said.
Because her client was found not guilty of four counts -- second degree vehicular manslaughter, first and second degree vehicular assault and boating while ability impaired by drugs -- Coleman believes she has a strong case for appeal.
"I know every defense lawyer says this, but this is really true: It immediately sets up significant issues for appeal," said Coleman, who unsuccessfully argued that Knarr was intoxicated at the time of the crash and at least partially to blame.
Comparing sitting through the trial to "tearing a scab off a very big, serious, wound," Knarr said his family will gain at least some solace knowing West will pay for the crimes that robbed young Charlotte of her life.
"On behalf of the Knarr and McCue family, Team Charlotte, today is a good day," Knarr said.
West faces up to 22 years in prison when he's sentenced at 3 p.m. on June 5 at the Warren County Courthouse.