Connor Whitehead died at a friend's birthday party soon after after he was shot. Photo: Give a Little
The two men charged with killing Christchurch teenager Connor Whitehead in 2021 have both been found guilty of manslaughter, not murder, by 12 jurors.
Daniel Nelson Sparks and Joshua David Craig Smith stood trial in the Christchurch high court, charged with the murder of the 16-year-old outside a party in the suburb of Casebrook in November 2021.
The pair had pleaded not guilty to the killings and opted not to give evidence during the trial.
Smith accepted it was his fault during the trial and that he was responsible for Connor's death, but that it was manslaughter, not murder.
Both were found guilty of manslaughter by the jury, who were unanimous in their verdict.
Some family members sobbed in reaction to the verdict.
Connor's father James Whitehead told media outside court he did not care what happened to the men and the verdict was not going to bring his son back.
"There is no victory here for us today, we don't get our Connor back when we go home."
The pair will be sentenced on 4 August.
