Two local men may face life sentences after being convicted of second-degree murder Monday in the fatal beating of a homeless woman last year.

The jurors delivered the verdict after deliberating for more than three days.

Berkeley, Calif., resident Derrell Morgan and San Leandro, Calif., resident Jarell Johnson, both 19, were convicted for the non-premeditated killing of Maria King, 45, who died 12 days after suffering severe head trauma on Feb. 8, 2005.

Morgan and Johnson face 15 years to life in state prison.

The approximately 110-pound homeless woman, who was found bleeding and unconscious at University Avenue and California Street, sustained several skull and facial fractures and brain hemorrhaging.

King never regained consciousness and her death became Berkeley’s first homicide of 2005.

Morgan’s and Johnson’s sentences will be determined by the judge in November, said Alameda County District Attorney Ben Beltramo. The men have both been in custody at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, Calif., since their arrests.

Beltramo said that while the case was tragic, he was pleased with the jury’s decision.

The facts to this case were unique compared to other murders, he said. The jury focused on the evidence and did a good job. Justice was served.

Morgan’s defense attorney Walter Pyle said he was disappointed in the verdict and the gaps in the evidence presented by the prosecution.

I believe (Morgan) and do believe him to be innocent, Pyle said.

Berkeley police arrested Johnson the day of the assault with Lawrence Dillon and a juvenile. Both Dillon and the juvenile were later released.

Morgan was arrested in May after Christon Parker and Sashay Long, both acquaintances of Morgan, came forward with information in late April.

The prosecution relied on these two informants in order to prove Morgan was one of the assailants, Pyle said.

I would not have thought that the statements of these people … proves this was murder beyond a reasonable doubt, he said.

Johnson’s attorney Ray Plumhoff, an Alameda County deputy public defender, asked the jury to convict Johnson of involuntary manslaughter and said in closing arguments that his client did not intend to kill King.

In deliberations, the jury had to decide if the defendants had enough time to premeditate the murder, Beltramo said.

At the start of the trial, a Berkeley resident, who said he witnessed the assault and called 911, testified that he saw two people beating and kicking what he thought was an object in the street, Beltramo said. The object was later found to be King’s body.

In closing arguments, Beltramo said that when the men kicked the body like a soccer ball, they clearly showed an intent to kill.

According to Beltramo, first-degree murder refers to a deliberate and premeditated killing, while second-degree murder is not premeditated.

In this case, this is a murder, not manslaughter, he said. This homeless woman was stomped to death.

Morgan and Johnson are scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 17 by Alameda County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Horner.