UPDATE 6/8/11 @ 6:30 p.m.
KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A man found guilty of shooting and killing a teenager is now headed to prison, and that could be where he spends the rest of his life.

Brandon Sherrod was back in court Wednesday afternoon for his sentencing.

A jury found him guilty of first-degree murder for shooting and killing 19-year-old James Williams.

It happened on Charleston’s West Side in 2009. Witness after witness testified against Sherrod. This was his chance to speak out, but he chose to remain silent.

“It's my ordered judgment he be confined to the penitentiary of this state for the rest of his natural life,” Judge Charles King said.

Sherrod was sentenced to life in prison with a recommendation of mercy, and it’s all because of what started as a joke.

Witnesses say Williams put beer in a baby's bottle, and that's why Sherrod pulled the trigger.

Williams' family says that's no reason for him to die. His uncle, Andre Williams, says he never wants to see him again.

“I don't have no bad feelings toward his family or nothing, but now me and my family can rest in peace,” Williams said.

Sherrod will remain in the South Central Regional Jail until room is made available in the penitentiary.

At the sentencing, Sherrod’s attorney asked for a mistrial, but the judge denied it. Sherrod plans to appeal the case.

A jury found Brandon Sherrod guilty of first-degree murder Wednesday afternoon.

Sherrod shot and killed James Williams at a home along Grant Street in Charleston in November 2009.

Witnesses testified the shooting was over a prank Williams played on his cousin, putting beer in her baby bottle. Sherrod was friends with the baby's father, who was from New York.

The jury recommended mercy for Sherrod.

When the verdict was read, there were no loud cheers or cries of anguish, just two families torn up by a crime.

"We're angry, but what can we do? What can we do about it? We can't change anything. We can't do anything about it. It's out of our hands," said Rosemary Lacy, Williams’ girlfriend. "We can't change it, but we can move forward, I guess."

Before the jury deliberated, the prosecution tried to introduce a video found on MySpace of Sherrod rapping about the killing.

It was the first time Sherrod's attorney said he'd heard about it.

“I think it's absolutely disgusting that the state would come running in here at the last minute with a so-called video," Judge Charles King said.

Later, the defense tried to put the focus on the other men who were at the house at the time of the killing.

"Who is it more reasonable to believe did the shooting?” attorney Ed Bullman asked. “Mr. Sherrod, from here who stayed here, or these guys who fled the state, went back to New York?"

But the jury didn't buy it, recommending a life sentence with mercy.

The victim's uncle, William “Andre” Williams, spent the last several days holding a picture of his deceased nephew.

“My brother and my nephew can now rest in peace," Williams said tearfully.

But, Williams’ loved ones know this tragedy is not over for them.

Lacy said, "You can't just close a book that's so big. It's from beginning to end. But, the chapter with Brandon Sherrod, it's almost gone. It's almost closed. It's almost passed."

Sherrod told his family members that he loved them as he was escorted out of the courtroom.

A sentencing date has not been set.

Brandon Sherrod is accused of killing James Williams at a home on Grant Street on the Charleston's west side back in November 2009.

Tuesday, witnesses testified that the shooting was all over a joke Williams played on his cousin, putting beer in her baby bottle.

The jury will begin deliberations at 2:15 p.m. Wednesday.

Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for updates.

Brandon Sherrod is accused of killing James Williams at a home on Grant Street on the Charleston's west side back in November 2009.

Tuesday, witnesses testified that the shooting was all over a joke Williams played on his cousin, putting beer in her baby bottle.

Right now, closing arguments are being heard in the case.

That means the jury will start deliberating, Wednesday afternoon.

Keep clicking WSAZ.com for more updates.

It goes back to November of 2009 when James Williams was shot and killed inside his home along Grant Street on Charleston’s West Side.

Brandon Sherrod is on trial, accused of killing him.

Williams' girlfriend, Rosemary Lacy, says Williams had put beer in a baby's bottle as a joke, and that the baby never drank it.

Others claim his cousin's baby did drink it and had to be taken to the hospital and have its stomach pumped.

Lacy was there the night Williams was shot. He says that was no reason for him to die.

“I tried to pull him (through) with everything in me,” Lacy said.

She attempted to get help, but the gunshot wound to his chest was fatal.

Also charged, was Michael Serrano who took a plea deal and is now testifying against Sherrod.

“I didn't think nobody was in the house,” Serrano said. “I thought it was just, you know, shoot at his house and that was it.”

Serrano says he agreed to go with Sherrod and shoot the house; not realizing Sherrod had a target.

“He kept saying, 'I told you I’d kill him. I knew it,’ ” Serrano said.

After the shooting, both men got into a car with Michelle Bailey, who thought they were going there for a fight.

“Brandon had got into the car. He said, 'I think I hit him. I think I hit him.' I said, 'You either hit him or you didn't hit him. After fighting with someone, you either know you hit him or you didn't.' He didn't answer anything else,” Bailey said.

“I stayed quiet because I knew I just got put into a situation that was never supposed to occur,” Serrano said.

Bailey says it was later that night when they were all watching the news that she realized what had happened.

Serrano says Sherrod threatened to kill Bailey for knowing too much information. It was Bailey who went to police.

The state has not yet rested, and Sherrod's trial is set to continue Wednesday morning.

Brandon Sherrod is accused of killing James Williams at that home.

Sherrod allegedly opened fire on the home while Williams was inside, according to police. Williams was hit by a bullet and died.

Jury selection and opening statements wrapped up Monday afternoon.

Prosecutors plan to call several witnesses to the stand Tuesday, including the woman who found Williams' body, a Charleston Police Officer and then Michael Serrano. He is also charged in the case.

Serrano pleaded guilty to wanton endangerment and agreed to testify against Sherrod.

We have a crew in the courtroom. Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for more information.

Jury selection started Monday morning in the case against Brandon Sherrod.

He is accused of killing James Williams at a home on Grant Avenue back in November 2009.

Sherrod allegedly opened fire on the home while Williams was inside, according to police. Williams was hit by a bullet and died.

Michael Serrano was also charged in the case. He pleaded guilty to wanton endangerment and agreed to testify against Sherrod.

Opening statements in the case are expected to start Tuesday morning.

Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest on the trial.

Tthe murder suspect, Brandon Sherrod now says he wants a new lawyer,because he's lost faith in his counsel.

Sherrod allegedly killed James Williams after he shot into a home on Grant Avenue last year.

His trial was suppose to have started last month, but it was delayed because Redbrook said, he wasn't ready.

Sherrod's trial has been delayed indefinitely at this point.

Michael Serrano was also charged in the case. He has pleaded guilty to wanton endangerment and agreed to testify against Sherrod.

Michael Serrano and Brandon Sherrod both pleaded not guilty to the First Degree Murder this afternoon.

Police say Serrano and Sherrod shot and killed James Williams along Grant Street back in November.

A witness told police she and another women picked up the pair and drove them to where Williams lived.

Serrano and Sherrod's trial dates is scheduled for August 30.

According to police, Michael Serrano, 18, of New York, also known as "White Mike," was picked up Tuesday in New York.

Serrano has been charged with first degree murder in the death of James "Baby Goon" Williams.

The murder happened on November 3 along Grant Street in Charleston.

Detectives have already charged Brandon "Young Gunna" Sherrod, 19, with the crime.

Detectives arrested 19-year-old Brandon "Young Gunna" Sherrod for shooting and killing James "Baby Goon" Williams.

Sherrod was arrested Sunday. The shooting happened November 3 on Grant Street in Charleston. Williams was shot through his apartment window and hit once in the chest.

According to the criminal complaint, a witness told police she and another woman picked up Sherrod and a man known as "White Mike" and drove them to the area where Williams lived.

She told police she thought they were going to physically assault the victim in retaliation to an ongoing dispute. She and the other woman waited in the car. The complaint states that when Sherrod and the other man got back into the car, Sherrod said, "I dropped him with my first shot."

Investigators say they found two different shell casings at the crime scene.

Sherrod has been charged with first degree murder and he is being held without bond in the South Central Regional Jail.