Jury Finds Lubbock Man Guilty of Shooting at Police

      A Lubbock man faces as much as life in prison after a jury convicts him of shooting at a police officer.

       Juan Zuniga is one of 2 men accused of shooting at least 9 rounds at Lubbock police officer Marcus Wall back in September, 2006.  Both Zuniga and his suspected accomplice, Michael Gonzales, were arrested and charged with Aggravated Assault on a Public Servant with a Deadly Weapon about 3 months after the shooting.  Zuniga's trial started on Monday and after 2 days of listening to testimony and seeing evidence, Judge Brad Underwood handed the case over to the jury around 11:30 Wednesday morning.  About 3 hours later, the jury came back with a verdict, but Judge Underwood rejected it.  We're told the jury wanted to find Zuniga guilty on Aggravated Assault of a Public Servant, but they wanted to leave out of their conviction the phrase, "with a deadly weapon."  We're told the jury was questioning if the evidence proved Zuniga actually fired the gun or if it could have been Gonzales.  Underwood told the jury it was against the law for the court to accept the verdict without the phrase "with a deadly weapon" included, and sent them to deliberate again.  After 3 more hours with the case, the jury came back with a guilty verdict.  Zuniga showed little emotion to the decision, but many of his family members left the courtroom crying.  After hearing the verdict, Zuniga's defense asked for an acquittal since the jury returned that first verdict revealing reasonable doubt when it came to whether Zuniga was in fact the shooter.  Judge Underwood said he could not grant an acquittal and the jury's final guilty verdict would stand.
       The sentencing phase of the trial begins Thursday morning at 9:00.  Zuniga could get up to life in prison.  His suspected accomplice is set to stand trial next month.