THE SELMA TIMES-JOURNAL

Aretha Moore sat with prosecutors during the trial of the man charged with shooting her daughter.

She had to look away as pictures of Akisha Moore were shown in court. Two days later she talked with reporters Wednesday and managed to smile.

The hurting mother said she&8217;s had to look at her 18-year-old daughter&8217;s empty room and her picture every day since the night of July 19, 2005. Her daughter was hit in the back by a stray bullet as she sat with friends inside a pool hall on Marie Foster Street.

Bobby Thomas, now 21, has sat in the Dallas County Jail on $5 million bond, charged with murder and reckless endangerment. A jury found him guilty Wednesday of the lesser offense of manslaughter.

He faces 10 to 20 years in prison for his involvement after Circuit Judge Tommy Jones sees the pre-sentencing investigation defense attorney&8217;s asked for.

Thomas, of 108-C Rangedale Annex, pled guilty May 20, 2006, to federal possession of a short barrel handgun. He must serve 35 months in a federal facility for that charge, prosecutors said.

Defense attorneys P. Vaughan Russell and Fred McCormick said they felt they gave Thomas the best defense possible. &8220;All in all, it went about as well as it could,&8221; McCormick said of the trial.

Aretha Moore said she&8217;d be there if and when the suspect, Walter McDaniel, comes to trial.

Thomas told police he was in the area that night waiting for his girlfriend to pick him up when he heard shots fired at him. He&8217;d been carrying the .22 revolver since having an altercation with a group of brothers and relatives and was beaten, Thomas said.