"It was an accident," Jones said, wiping away tears. "I did not do it on purpose."
When McDermott delivered the sentence - life in prison, mandatory in first-degree murder cases - Jones broke down, crying and screaming "My kids! My kids!" as she was led out by a sheriff's deputy.
Her family members, who filled half the courtroom, sobbed as they left.
Members of Tyrone Taylor's family, seated behind the prosecution, sat in silence as the verdict was read. After Jones' family left the courtroom, some clapped, but others quickly shushed them.
"I feel justice was done," said Tyrone Taylor Sr. "But I'm not happy about the outcome at all." He said he had sympathy for Jones' four children, aged 5 to 14. His son and Jones had been married eight years and had two children together. Taylor has custody of one of his grandchildren and is trying to obtain custody of the other. "It's been very hard," he said of the last year.
Defense attorney Richard DeSipio said he felt for Jones, who cried "Who's going to take care of my babies?" after her sentencing. He said jurors told him one of the deciding factors in Jones' conviction was a surveillance video entered as evidence earlier in the week. It shows the 2002 Acura pulling up to a curb and Taylor walking out. Then the Acura turns to the right, striking Taylor and pushing him into a wall 32 feet away. After a pause, the SUV backs up and Jones can be seen running toward Taylor.
DeSipio said jurors told him they "couldn't get past" the fact that, the Acura appears to turn right toward Taylor, who was walking into a vacant lot, and not onto the adjacent street.
He said he plans to appeal the conviction.
Contact Aubrey Whelan at 215-854-2771 or at awhelan@philly.com, or follow @aubreyjwhelan on Twitter.
