A jury finds Melanie James, 63, and Kenneth Newton, 57, guilty of murdering a vulnerable man, Rubin Blount, after he is sent to live with them by social services. The case is heard in relation to the couple’s time in a council house in Tamworth. Prosecutors say James and Newton subject Blount to abuse, including beating and belittling him, and that they also starve him. Jurors hear that the couple are “recovering drug addicts,” and that the prosecution’s account is that Blount is kept in the home for the couple’s own financial benefit. The court hears arguments about the circumstances that lead to Blount’s death, including what the defendants knew about his condition and how they handled his care while he lived with them. The verdict concludes the jury’s assessment of evidence presented during the trial, including accounts of the alleged mistreatment and the reasons Blount is placed with the defendants. The case centers on responsibility for the man’s death while under the couple’s care.