A New Hope man was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder for strangling his longtime girlfriend.

A Hennepin County jury deliberated for about five hours before finding Douglas C. Manney, 51, guilty on Tuesday after a two-week trial. He was acquitted of the original charge of second-degree murder. He faces up to 12 years in prison and is to be sentenced on Dec. 5 before Judge Marilyn Kaman.

Manney was charged with strangling Kristin E. Sandeen, 40, whose body was found the morning after police were called to their apartment for a domestic dispute.

The New Hope Police Department received a call from Sandeen's sister on the morning of June 5, 2011. She said Manney had called her and said that her sister was on the floor of her apartment and he didn't know if she was dead, but he was leaving. Police arrived to the apartment to discover her body.

Manney's attorney, Frederick Goetz, argued that there was no proof Manney committed the crime, and alternatively, that if he did, there was no intent to kill Sandeen.

Manney's two ex-wives testified that he had choked both of them and had previously assaulted Sandeen. Manney also told police that he may have choked Sandeen the night before she was found dead. However, the medical examiner testified that the bruising on her body would have been obvious to the police officers.

Goetz said Tuesday that Manney plans to appeal the conviction.

ABBY SIMONS