Linda Harris turns to talk to her supporters during the second day of her trial Friday. The former Meigs mayor was found guilty on both charges she faced.

THOMASVILLE, Ga. — A deafening silence fell over the court room as the verdict for former Meigs Mayor Linda Harris was delivered Friday afternoon. 

A jury of three men and nine women found Harris guilty on both counts of theft by taking and violation of oath of office, charges stemming from an October 2015 incident.

The verdict was delivered after more than an hour of deliberation. The trial began Thursday morning. 

The defense did not call any witnesses, and Harris choose not to testify. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, she was the mayor of Meigs, not the queen,” senior Assistant District Attorney Ray Auman said in his closing arguments. “You went through the excruciating pain of watching the video.”

Jurors were shown two hour-long videos Thursday of the October 2015 incident. Current and former city council members and current and former city employees were called to testify during Thursday’s first day of the trial.Lucinda Brown, president of Thomas County NAACP chapter, did not agree with the verdict. 

“She’s not guilty of taking $80,” Brown said. “She is guilty of using her executive powers.” 

During the incident for which Harris stood trial, she said she used her executive powers when she took the $80 from Meigs City Hall. 

George Rhynes of the Getto Free Press was in attendance for Harris’ trial. 

“What happened in this courtroom, with this mayor is no different from what I have documented in many other cities, (such as) Gordon, Lumpkin, Warrenton, Douglas and many others,” Rhynes said after the verdict. 

“GMA and state officials have failed to train newly elected officials on their duties and responsibilities,” Rhynes added. “This has been addressed to all Georgia state officials and now extends up to the Department of Justice because it impacts voter rights, voter suppression, voter intimidation and removing black mayors across Georgia.” 

“Today, I’m going to be at peace and I am going to fight,” Harris’ daughter, Ulexa West, said after the verdict. “From the very first day she was sworn in, it has been issue after issue.” 

After the verdict, Harris told the Times-Enterprise there was nothing she could do regarding the verdict, other than “start on Plan B.” 

Lt. Tim Watkins, Thomas County Sheriff’s Office chief investigator, was the only witness to testify Friday morning after the trial reconvened.

Watkins recounted his interview with Harris back in October 2015, stating she listed four different explanations as to why she took the money. 

When polled, jurors affirmed the guilty verdict. 

Harris’ sentencing is set for Thursday, March 23. Her maximum sentence is one year for theft by taking and five years for violation of the oath of office.