HONOLULU (KHON2) — A jury has found Jamil Hart guilty of second-degree murder after he was accused of killing his mother and her dog in their Mililani apartment.
The Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office said he was also convicted of attempted burglary and cruelty to animals.
“This conviction demonstrates our office’s commitment to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm.
Court documents stated that at the time of the incident, neighbors reported hearing a woman, Hart’s 74-year-old mother, screaming. Responding police officers later discovered the bodies of his mother and her dog, Yuko, inside the apartment.
During his trial, prosecutors called his actions a “brutal and deliberate act of violence.”
While both sides agreed the act was heinous, the defense said he was suffering from mental illness at the time of the killing.
Because his mother was over the age of 60, Hart faces life without parole for the murder charge, which will be determined during extended sentencing on Thursday, Sept. 25.