RIVERHEAD, N.Y. — A jury has begun deliberations at the murder trial of Jeffrey Conroy. The Long Island teen is accused of stabbing an Ecuadorean immigrant to death.

Conroy admitted to police he was responsible for the 2008 stabbing of immigrant Marcelo Lucero (mar-SEHL’-oh loo-SEHR’-oh). But he later testified he had taken the blame for one of his co-defendants.

Prosecutors said in closing arguments that Conroy and six other teens attacked and killed Lucero as part of a campaign of violence against Hispanics. Four have pleaded guilty; two are awaiting trial.

Deliberations began shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday.

AP-ES-04-14-10 1022EDT 