Memphis Police officer Sean Bolton’s killer was headed to life in prison without the possibility of parole, until the officer’s family told prosecutors to reject this offer.

Now a jury will decide if Tremaine Wilbourn, the man found guilty of shooting and killing Bolton in 2015, gets life or death.

After deliberating Sunday for three hours, the 12-person jury found Wilbourn guilty of first-degree murder. He also was convicted of carjacking, employing a firearm in the commission of a dangerous offense and a felon in possession of a handgun.

After his conviction, the jury went to lunch and the sentencing hearing was set for 1:45 p.m., but the hearing was delayed because the state offered Wilbourn life in prison without parole if he chose not to appeal his convictions.

Wilbourn asked Judge Lee Coffee if he could see his grandmother before making his decision. He was given 30 minutes in the courtroom with his grandmother and his attorneys, who urged him to accept the offer.

When court resumed, Wilbourn seemed upset and reluctant to accept the offer. When he was told by the judge to take the stand and tell the court his decision, he refused to get out of his chair.

“There’s no reason for me to take the stand,” Wilbourn told the judge. He was allowed to remain seated next to his attorneys.

After the judge explained the offer and the sentencing hearing where the jury could decide on life in prison with parole, life in prison without parole or the death penalty, Wilbourn accepted the state’s offer of life behind bars.

While waiting for Wilbourn’s paperwork on the offer to be signed, Bolton’s family met with prosecutors and told them to reject the offer.

The state rejected the offer, and the sentencing phase of the hearing began at around 4 p.m. Sunday.

Tennessee law requires the state to prove one or more aggravating circumstances, the court said. The circumstances, in this case are: if the murder was committed against a law enforcement officer, if the defendant had been convicted of another violent felony and that the purpose of the murder was to avoid lawful arrest, prosecutor Leslie Byrd told the jurors. 

Defense attorney Juni Ganguli told jurors that there are also mitigating factors in the case that might result in Wilbourn getting life in prison.

While other family members have been in court for Wilbourn throughout the seven-day trial, Ganguli told jurors that his mother had not been in court all week. He also said his client was exposed to violence growing up.

When the sentencing hearing began, the state called three witnesses, including Officer Bolton’s younger brother, to testify.

Brian Bolton told jurors that his older brother was killed six days before his 34th birthday. He said their mother found out about his death on the television news.

He said his brother’s death still has an impact on his family.

“If somebody can kill my brother, they can do it to us,” Brian Bolton told the court.

Authorities said Wilbourn shot Bolton on Aug. 1, 2015, after the officer approached an illegally parked Mercedes-Benz in the 4800 block of Summerlane in the area of Cottonwood and South Perkins in Parkway Village.

The driver of the car fled after Bolton shined a spotlight in the car. Wilbourn, who was a passenger, was being detained by Bolton when the two scuffled and Wilbourn shot the officer eight times, including once in the face. Bolton later died at Regional One Health.

Bolton had been on the force for five years when the shooting happened. He is one of four Memphis police officers killed in the line of duty since 2011.

The state also called as witnesses Bolton’s fellow officer Jacoba Boyd and Wilbourn’s federal probation officer.

The trial that started Oct. 29 will resume at 10 a.m. Monday, when the state is expected to present witnesses for the sentencing phase of the trial.