SAGINAW, MI — Quintel A. West will spend the rest of his life in prison for robbing a high-stakes poker game and killing the host in the process.

After deliberating for about five hours, a jury of six men and six women on Monday, May 6, convicted West of first-degree felony murder and 11 other felonies in the late May 29 death of Michael Kuhlman.

The jurors deliberated for about an hour late Friday afternoon before returning about 9 a.m. Monday. They reached their verdict about 1:30 p.m.

With the conviction of felony murder, which means a homicide occurred during the commission of a specified felony, the 24-year-old West faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The jury made its decision after two weeks of testimony and arguments from Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor Jon Sahli and West's attorney, Barbara Klimaszewski.

“This was my second toughest trial in 35 years (of practicing as an attorney),” Sahli said. “I'm relieved. I think it was the right decision.”

The prosecutor noted the number of witnesses — about 40 — and the number of exhibits presented to the jury — more than 100.

MLive could not immediately reach Klimaszewski for comment. Family members of Kuhlman declined comment outside of the courtroom, noting their emotional reaction to the verdict.

Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor Jon Sahli holds the gun he said was used in the Michael Kuhlman homicide during his closing argument in the Quintel A. West trial.

Sahli's 90-minute closing argument and Klimaszewski's nearly one-hour argument showed the complexity of the case, which was mostly circumstantial.

Testimony showed that Kuhlman, 36, and eight others were in his house at 2555 Luella off Weiss near Hemmeter in Saginaw Township just before midnight when at least two men tried to enter the home. When the men tried to enter through the front door, Kuhlman put his weight against the door to block their attempt.

As Kuhlman tried to prevent the robbery, at least one gunshot was fired into the door, and Kuhlman was shot in the right shoulder. The bullet traveled through Kuhlman's lung and spine, and he died from internal bleeding.

West was at Kuhlman's home earlier in the evening to sell him cocaine and was aware that Kuhlman was hosting the poker game that night, testimony showed.

More than 24 hours after the homicide, police performed a traffic stop on West's maroon Chevrolet Blazer after West realized he was being followed and faked an exit off Interstate 675 before swerving back onto the road. Police found a Sig Sauer P250 9mm semi-automatic handgun, which state police Lt. Ron Crichton testified was used to fire the seven shell casings found on Kuhlman's property and could have fired the bullet taken from Kuhlman's body, hidden behind the glove compartment of West's vehicle.

West's attorney, Barbara Klimaszewski, pointed to the testimony of West's cousin, Jermaine Boose, who said that he was with West the entire night at West's home at 2020 Hanchett in Saginaw.

Boose testified that as he and West smoked cigars outside sometime after midnight May 30, a dark-colored SUV arrived and somebody asked West, who Klimaszewski and Boose both said sold drugs and guns, if he had any marijuana to sell. When West told those in the vehicle that he only had a nickle bag, or $5 worth, to sell, the men said they didn't want to make the purchase, Boose testified.

Instead, the men sold West a gun, Boose testified. Klimaszewski showed Boose the seized Sig Sauer, and Boose said the guns looked similar.

Klimaszewski said during her opening argument that West found a buyer for the gun and was en route to make that transaction when he was arrested.

The black or dark-colored SUV was relevant, Klimaszewski argued, because the girlfriend of poker player Dave Ryan, who lent money to the other players and left Kuhlman's house before the robbery and shooting, testified that after Ryan called her and told her of the incident, she noticed a black or dark-colored SUV outside of her house for between five and 15 minutes.

Klimaszewski also focused on what she said was a lack of evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. She also criticized Saginaw Township police detectives for not further investigating a co-worker of Kuhlman's, a black man named Andre, who had asked to be included in the poker games but was denied access.

In addition to the murder charge, West was convicted of assault with intent to murder John Allen, who was shot as he fled the house, first-degree home invasion, armed robbery, separate counts of conspiring to commit the home invasion and robbery charges, a single count of carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent, and five counts of possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Saginaw County Circuit Judge James T. Borchard, who presided over the trial, is scheduled to sentence West on June 13.

Follow Andy Hoag on Twitter @awhoag