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Jury Convicts Mass. Man In Obama Church Fire Case

A 26-year-old white man has been convicted in what prosecutors say was the racially motivated burning of a predominantly black Massachusetts church in the hours after Barack Obama was elected president in 2008.

An all-white, 12-member jury found Michael Jacques guilty Thursday of all the charges he faced in the burning of Macedonia Church of God in Christ in Springfield. He faces 10 to 60 years in prison.

Prosecutors portrayed Jacques and two friends who pleaded guilty as racists who were upset at the election of the first African-American president.

Jacques, his lawyer and family say he's not racist and only confessed during a police interrogation because he suffered withdrawal from painkillers.

Outside court, Jacques said the jury "got it all wrong."

His lawyer said she will appeal.

This program aired on April 14, 2011. The audio for this program is not available.

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