You know that they say: If you want to keep the peace, avoid discussing politics and religion. This was a lesson that apparently escaped 33-year-old Douglas Yim.

Douglas Yim (Photo Credit:

On Tuesday, he was found guilty of first degree murder in the shooting death of his friend, Dzuy Duhn Phan, 25, whom he killed following a debate about God's existence.

After playing video games and partying, Yim, who had been drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana and using cocaine, shot Phan who was at his home in Oakland, Calif.

Based on testimony from Paul Park, another friend who was there the night of the shooting, the violent conclusion came after a spirited debate about the Almighty, KPIX-TV reports.

The spat reached its climax when Phan asked where God was when Yim's father passed away from a stroke several years earlier.

Overtaken by rage, Yim reportedly threw a game console remote into the television screen, breaking it. Then he retrieved a gun and shot his friend at least six times with an AR-15.

Park, too, was hit by a bullet, leading to a guilty verdict on the assault with a firearm charge as well.

According to the San Jose Mercury News, Yim's defense team was hoping he would get a lesser charge, but in the end the jury decided that first-degree murder was appropriate. The defense argued that the assailant might have believed that his life was in danger, but the prosecution said that he had ample time between the argument and the shooting to make a concerted decision.

Yim could potentially spend his entire life behind bars (he's facing 126 years).

(H/T: KPIX-TV)

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