Girl killed during gang dispute; man gets life

(NECN: Kristen Caira, Boston, Mass.) – A Boston man convicted of killing a 10-year-old girl will spend the rest of his life in prison. On Monday, a jury convicted Joseph Cousin of murder, but today, he still maintains his innocence. It was a dramatic day in court for the sentencing of the man convicted of killing Trina Persad back in 2002. At one point, he loudly professed his innocence to the victim’s family, but that didn’t seem to make any difference to the judge. Trina Persad was caught in gang crossfire back in 2002 as she played in Jermaine Goffigan Park in Roxbury — the park named after another victim of gang violence. Cousin’s attorney says they will appeal the verdict, and although he did get life for the second-degree murder conviction, Cousin will be eligible for parole after 15 years. But, with the other convictions, he will be behind bars for at least the next 20 years.