Wednesday, March 31st 2021, 6:11 pm
A Florida jury on Wednesday found former Mannford police officer Mike Nealey guilty of second degree murder, in the death of Chief Lucky Miller.
The two were at a law enforcement conference in 2019, when investigators said the two got into a drunken fight that ended in Miller’s death.
The trial took place in Florida since that is where police say Nealey and Police Chief Lucky Miller were at the time of Miller's death as they were attending a law enforcement conference.
Miller's family was seen crying and hugging as the verdict was read after about two hours of deliberations.
During the trial, prosecutors showed the jury videos from Miller's phone that a CBS affiliate WKRG said showed conversations on an app called Marco Polo.
In the videos, News On 6 was told Miller is talking to a friend in Oklahoma about the death of convicted sex offender and former financier Jeffery Epstein.
The WKRG reporter in the courtroom said Nealey was heard saying he believed Epstein did not commit suicide, saying "it was clear he was strangled."
Investigators said these videos were taken just hours before Miller's death.
Related Story: Opening Statements To Begin In Trial For Man Accused Of Killing Mannford Police Chief
Opening statements started in the trial on Tuesday and the first witnesses also took the stand. The jury heard from witnesses who were staying in hotel rooms next to Nealey and Miller and testified that they heard loud noises including roars and laughter, which is what caused them to call in noise complaints. The witnesses said they heard someone yell "stop it, Mike," moments later, a security guard from the hotel went into the room and saw Nealey sitting on top of Miller's chest. The security guard said Miller did not appear to be breathing.
The medical examiner testified Tuesday Miller died by blunt force trauma to the head and asphyxia by strangulation and smothering. Prosecutors also said the trauma to Miller's head was so forceful, that he had internal decapitation.
The defense argued the two men were very drunk, with both of them having a blood alcohol level nearly four times the legal limit.
The defense said the two “engaged in unconscious behavior resulting in their rolling off the bed" with Nealey on top.
The defense said Nealey tried to get up multiple times but fell back down, landing on Miller, and argued that is what caused the blunt force trauma.
Nealey's sentencing is scheduled for the end of next month.
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