NATCHEZ — A Natchez man was found guilty of second-degree murder Friday in the 2015 shooting of a man outside his estranged wife’s residence.

A jury found Casey S. Woods, 43, 125 Gaylor Road, guilty of killing Pierre Tenner on May 24, 2015.

Woods had been charged with first-degree murder. The jury opted Friday to convict Woods on the lessor charge of second-degree murder.

The shooting took place at approximately 12:30 p.m. in the driveway of 14 Hampton Court, the residence of Tenner’s estranged wife, Doris Tenner. Pierre Tenner, after sustaining a gunshot wound to the upper right hip, was pronounced dead at 1:30 p.m. at Merit Health Natchez.

Woods shot Pierre Tenner with a 12-gauge shotgun.

Woods apologized to the victim’s family following the conviction. He also asked for forgiveness.

“I apologize. I was put in a position which resulted in the life of Pierre,” he said. “If I could I would hand Pierre to the family on a silver platter, but that is not the world we live in.”

Having taken Pierre Tenner’s life, Woods said he understands the pain a violent death wreaks on a person. Woods told the family he woke up on the morning of the shooting with no malice in his heart toward Pierre Tenner.

“I killed Pierre Tenner, and so I have to sleep with that every night,” he said. “I too have to keep pushing. I don’t want the Tenner family to think Casey Woods is a barbaric, monstrous or evil person. That is not my character.

“I am humbling myself today. I pray the family can forgive and seek peace.”

Regina Tenner, Pierre Tenner’s sister in law, said Woods deprived six sisters, five brothers, two children and one grandchild a life he can never give back.

Regina Tenner said the family knew Pierre Tenner liked to drink and have fun but he was not a violent person. But rather he was a person who loved his family unconditionally and they loved him the same, Regina Tenner said.

“Killing him was not necessary,” she said. “You could have been a man about the situation and walked away.”

Day two of the trial began with the district attorney’s office resting and defense attorney Zach Jex moving for a directed verdict on the grounds the state failed to make its case for first-degree murder.

Jex said the state failed to prove his client did not act in self-defense in the shooting.

Assistant District Attorney Tim Cotton said he believed the state submitted facts sufficient for a fair-minded jury to find Woods did not act in self-defense because he used excessive force.

Circuit Court Judge Lillie Blackmon Sanders ruled in favor of the district attorney, forcing the defense to continue with presenting their side of the case.

Woods’ defense called three people — current and former Natchez Police employees —  with the aim of establishing the police didn’t respond quickly to 911 calls on the day of the shooting and that Pierre Tenner had shown violence around his estranged wife in the past.The final witness was Doris Tenner, who testified the early years of her marriage with Pierre Tenner were good. But after some time, she said the situation became volatile because he often drank too much and stayed out all night.

The couple split and Woods came into the picture during April 2015 and they ultimately became boyfriend and girlfriend, Doris Tenner said. She also said Pierre Tenner and she were legally separated and that her estranged husband had a girlfriend at that time.

On May 4, Pierre Tenner came in from Texas and saw Woods’ truck in the 14 Hampton Court yard, Doris Tenner said.

Doris Tenner said he kicked the door in and had a shotgun.

“I said, ‘Don’t come in with that,’” she said.

Doris Tenner said she went to her room and he followed her down the hall. Doris Tenner said she felt scared he was going to kill her.

After he shot into the door, Doris Tenner said everything got quiet. She ultimately did go out into the hall, and he was standing there, she said. Doris Tenner said they wrestled with the gun and he ultimately went out the door and left.

Doris Tenner filed charges and Pierre Tenner was arrested and released on a bond with a condition that he could not go near his estranged wife or make contact.

Doris Tenner said he did come onto the property at least three times between May 4 and May 24. She said he broke something on her house, later ran over a cable box in her yard and took the spark plugs out of her car. Doris Tenner said she filed police reports in all three incidents.

Prosecutors pointed out minor differences to Doris Tenner’s testimony Friday and her original statement to police regarding where the gun Woods retrieve was located.

District Attorney Ronnie Harper said Doris Tenner is a convicted felon and is not supposed to have a gun.

Jex said during closing arguments that the law was clear this was self-defense and also the Natchez Police Department failed Doris Tenner and Woods.

Jex said Woods had the right to be on the property and had a right to protect it, himself and Doris Tenner.

Further, Jex pointed out that Woods shot Pierre Tenner in the leg.

“If Casey was trying to kill him, wouldn’t he have shot him in the head or body?” Jex said. “He has no duty to retreat.”

Doris Tenner tried to do the right thing and called the police, Jex said. When NPD was called, it took three attempts to get an officer on scene, Jex said. She had also called about three other incidents.

Jex said if the police had been doing their job, Pierre Tenner would have been in jail for violating his bond condition and the shooting could have been prevented.

Harper said NPD does a good job and he is tired of hearing people saying the department is terrible. Harper said NPD did its job by going and finding who shot Pierre Tenner.

Harper said he doesn’t believe the law gives someone the right to shoot a person just because they step onto property. He also said the law doesn’t give someone the right to leave, get a gun and come back and shoot a person.

“That is not standing your ground,” Harper said. “He went into that house, got a gun, and Doris Tenner told him there was no reason for him to go back out there.

“That’s not imminent danger while you are in the house. I ask you go back, and deliver a verdict of guilty,”Harper said.

Sanders delayed sentencing until 3 p.m. Sept. 28.

Woods is facing life in prison.