Former Raiders first-round pick Anthony Smith was convicted on three counts of murder on Thursday, although jurors were unable to reach a verdict on a fourth count.
Smith, who played as defensive end for the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders from 1991-97, was found guilty of stabbing Dennis Henderson to death in 2001 and shooting and killing Kevin and Ricky Nettles in a separate incident in 1999, ABC 7 reports. The jury was deadlocked on the charge that he also shot and killed Maurillo Ponce on Oct. 7, 2008.
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Smith, 48, will be sentenced on Dec. 21 and the court will also decide whether prosecutors plan on retrying him for the Ponce killing on that date as well. Prosecutors have stated they will not seek the death penalty in any of the cases. Smith could be facing life in prison without parole.
Deputy District Atorney Tom Trainor presented evidence at the trial that included zip ties found on one of the victim's hands which came from the same bach of ties in Smith's possession, rope found on a body that was similar to rope also in his possession and two witness identificaions indicating Smith was the killer, according to the Associated Press.
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Prosecutors also pointed to the books about killing techniques found in his possession. No DNA evidence was presented, nor were any murder weapons. Prosecutors also did not bring up any motives for the three killings.
Smith's defense attorney Michael Evans said he was "disappointed" that jurors did not explain their reasoning for the convictions afterward. The judge also declined to ask the jurors to explain their verdicts, he added.
"My client's facing life without the possibility of parole here, and I think he deserves at least the benefit of that knowledge," Evans said.
A jury in April 2012 also failed to convict Smith of murder in the charge involving Ponce, a 31-year-old Latino man, who died after he was shot twice in the head and eight times in the torso. Prosecutors claimed that Smith lured him to a desert highway where he was beaten, stomped and shot over a business deal gone bad.
Smith played in 98 games and started in 50 for the Raiders and recorded 57.5 sacks and 190 tackles in his career.
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