Jury convicts man of ordering witness' murder

Quintae Hudson accused of arranging murder on Easter Sunday 2016

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 25-year-old man accused of arranging the murder of a witness from behind bars was convicted of murder Thursday.

Prosecutors convinced the jury that Quintae Hudson ordered the hit from his jail cell in 2016 while he was awaiting trial on a charge of aggravated assault. He was accused of throwing a concrete block through the windshield of a car with a family inside.

Michael Wright, 62, was a security guard at the Hollybrook Apartments on Kings Street, where the family was attacked. In a deposition, he had identified Hudson as the attacker and Wright on the witness list to testify against on the assault charge.

Wright was shot and killed on Easter Sunday 2016. No one was ever arrested as the shooter, but police had recordings that appeared to show Hudson arranging his murder.

Both sides rested Wednesday and the jury of six men and six women began deliberations before 10 a.m. Thursday. Just after 4 p.m., Hudson was found guilty on seven counts, including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Family members of both Hudson and Wright could be heard weeping as the verdict was read to a calm Hudson. 

A sentencing date will be set in August. He faced 15 to 30 years if convicted of that aggravated assault charge. He now faces life in prison.


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