VIDEOS: STAHLI GUILTY OF MASON'S MURDER

KINGSTON

-- Kenneth Stahli was found guilty of second-degree murder, depraved indifference murder of a child, for the death of 2-year-old Mason DeCosmo.

The jury's verdict, which came down today, Friday, is the legal culmination of a story that rocked the Hudson Valley: a toddler -- beaming in most every photograph he appears in -- beaten to death by his mother's new boyfriend, who was living with her, and was supposed to be babysitting both Mason and his baby brother Jaxon DeCosmo.

Over the past two weeks, as Stahli's trial unfolded in the Ulster County Court, jurors heard from District Attorney Holley Carnright, who prosecuted the case, and Stahli's attorneys, public defender Andrew Kossover and MariAnn Connolly.

STORIFY: CLICK HERE FOR EVERY LIVE TWEET FROM THE TRIAL

Carnright spoke of a boy who died covered in nearly 70 bruises – some older, many made within a day of his death -- scrapes and internal injuries, with traces of heroin found in his bile. His pancreas was cut in two.

"You're here for justice," Carnright told the jury in his closing argument. "This guy just systematically beat that kid to death."

Kossover and Connolly said that there was enough reasonable doubt to find Stahli not guilty – just because he was Mason's caretaker, doesn't mean he was the one who hurt him, the public defenders said.

The jury returned a guilty verdict around 10:30 a.m. As it was read, many of the people in the courtroom could be heard crying.

As Louis DeCosmo, Mason's father, left the courtroom with his sister, he yelled that Stahli would soon join his mother, who died last year, and said Stahi will "rot in hell."

Katlin Wolfert, Mason's mother, attended court with her boyfriend, mother, father, grandmother and family friend.

Before the verdict was read, Louis DeCosmo said that a guilty verdict would "make me feel good that the person that put his hands on my son, that caused his death," will be punished.

But he said he'll never be satisfied until both Stahli and Wolfert are held accountable for the boy's death.

In Ulster County Family Court, Wolfert was found to have abused and neglected Mason and Jaxon. She told police investigators that she didn't bring Mason to the doctor, despite obvious signs that something was wrong, because she was afraid that Child Protective Services would become involved.

Wolfert has not been charged criminally and maintains that she is not to blame for her son's death. Carnright said he has no intention of charging her and that many of Mason's bruises were from the day before his death.

"My son finally has justice," said a tearful Wolfert outside of the courtroom. "I have to thank Holley (Carnright) so much throughout this."

Next up for Wolfert, who gets supervised biweekly visits with Jaxon, is "healing, grieving for my son," she said.

Carnright said he will seek the maximum punishment for Stahli: 25 years to life in prison. He will be sentenced on June 4, the DA's office said.

"Mason will never be forgotten," Louis DeCosmo said. "Until my last day, I will always love and care for him."

See Saturday's Journal for the full story.

Nina Schutzman: nschutzman@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-451-4518 Twitter: @pojonschutzman