Sister says woman convicted of killing unborn baby was defending herself

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The sister of a 36-year-old woman convicted of shooting a pregnant woman in the stomach and killing her unborn child said she has questions about the verdict.

Virginia Wyche was convicted of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder in the April 2014 shooting incident.

"I respect the law. I listened to the case presented and argued, and I just don't see how they came up with what they came up with," Virginia Wyche's sister, Katrice Wyche, said.

Virginia Wyche faces a mandatory minimum 50 years to life in prison. She will be sentenced the week of Aug. 31.

Police said Markeisha Brooks went to Wyche's Nothwest Jacksonville home in April 2014 to discuss a disagreement that they had on social media.

While Brooks and Wyche were having a verbal argument, Wyche pulled out a gun and shot Brooks once in the stomach, police said. Brooks was six months' pregnant at the time, and her unborn child did not survive. 

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Virginia Wyche told family members that Brooks hit her, which Brooks denied, she reached for her gun and fired in self-defense.

News4Jax tried to contact Brooks for comment on Virginia Wyche's conviction, but could not reach her. Not long after the shooting last year, Brooks told News4Jax that the violence took her completely by surprise.

"Pulling out a gun was the last thing I ever thought she would have done," Brooks told Channel 4's Vic Micolucci last year. "She was always a good friend. She was my child's godmother. "

Prosecutors charged Virginia Wyche with murder and attempted murder in the shooting, and a jury on Thursday found her guilty on both counts.

"She is a wreck, because she was very confident in her defense," Katrice Wyche said. "When you have someone come to your home, that takes things to another level. You can't run and go somewhere else. This is the home that she owns."

Katrice Wyche said her sister was doing her best to defend herself when Brooks and another woman showed up at her house.

But that defense wasn't enough to sway the jury.

Now Virginia Wyche and her family will begin the appeals process.

In the meantime, Katrice Wyche is championing legislation that calls for more responsibility from pregnant women to keep unborn children safe.

"There needs to be something in effect where women take responsibility for this viable fetus," Katrice Wyche said. "If we don't do something for that, there are going to be a lot of people that will be victimized."