Stepson Convicted in CA Sword Slaying

Jonathan Lee admitted stabbing 50-year-old Barry Alan Smith and hitting his mother, Deena, on the head with the martial-arts style sword two years ago at the couple's home in Happy Valley.

Smith, a retired California Highway Patrol officer, bled to death.

The Shasta County jury on Monday convicted Lee of first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated mayhem but failed to reach a verdict on a charge of attempted murder. That charge was then dropped at the prosecution's request.

Lee faces up to three life sentences when he is sentenced April 18.

Lee's attorney said he suffered from delusions and paranoid behavior and urged he be convicted of a lesser charge, such as manslaughter. But a psychiatrist found him mentally competent, and prosecutor Brent Ledford said Lee's delusional claims were "mumbo-jumbo."