Jury Begins Deliberations in Murder Trial [VIDEO]

Eight men and four women began their jury deliberations Thursday afternoon in the trial of Sina Khankhanian, who is accused of murdering Malibu eighth-grader . Khankhanian, 28, is charged with second-degree murder, but the jury could instead find him guilty of the "lesser included" charge of involuntary manslaughter.

 at the Airport Courthouse. Thursday was dedicated to closing arguments and Judge Katherine Mader's instructions for the jury.

"Emily Rose Shane, 13 years old and dead because this defendant was pissed off," prosecutor Marna Miller told the jury. "He was angry and wanted to kill himself."

The prosecution alleges Khankhanian was on a suicide mission when his vehicle struck and killed Emily in April 2010 while she stood on the shoulder of Pacific Coast Highway near Heathercliff Road. The crash followed about 17 miles of what witnesses called "erratic" driving on Topanga Canyon Boulevard and PCH.

Miller told the jurors that they do not have to believe Khankhanian had intended to strike and kill Emily, nor even know she was there, in order to convict him of murder. She said he drove recklessly, not caring that this act put his and other people's lives in danger.

Defense attorney Bradley Brunon said authorities had reached the conclusion the crash was a murder without doing a proper investigation.

"I found it very disturbing that after 20 minutes of investigation, the investigators decided this was a murder and completely focused the balance of their investigation proving it was a murder as opposed to investigating the entirety of the facts," Brunon said.

The attorney also noted his client's mental problems, which include autism, Tourette syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder. He said Khankhanian was unable to appreciate the dangerous situation he created by driving recklessly.

Miller said the defendant has "odd behaviors," but this has "absolutely nothing" to do with his causing Emily’s death.

"It is an excuse, ladies and gentlemen,” she said.

Brunon said the case against his client was about emotion rather than facts. He criticized various prosecution witnesses for inconsistency and what he called "preposterous" allegations of Khankhanian’s intentions.

Miller noted the profanity-laced statements Khankhanian made immediately after the crash and on his ambulance ride to the hospital. They included, "That bitch deserved it." Brunon said the fact his client made these statements was another example of his mental issues.

The defense attorney acknowledged Khankhanian committed a crime and recommended the jury convict him of involuntary manslaughter. Miller said, "This is so much more, ladies and gentlemen, than an involuntary manslaughter. And justice deserves the defendant be held responsible for the murder of Emily Shane."

Mader determined the jury could consider involuntary manslaughter after the conclusion of witness testimony. The maximum prison sentence for that conviction is four years. Second-degree murder carries a mandatory sentence of 15 years to life.

All 12 jurors must find Khankhanian not guilty of murder before they can consider manslaughter.

More than 40 people filled the small courtroom on Thursday. About three-fourths of them were there in support of the Shane family. The parents of Emily and Khankhanian attended all eight days of the trial.

The jury met in a room until 4 p.m. on Thursday. They are expected to resume deliberations Friday at 9:30 a.m.