 In New York State at that time, first-degree murder applied only to those who killed police officers or had committed murder while already serving a sentence for a previous murder.The jury was unable to convict Steinberg on the more serious charge of second-degree murder, but it did convict him of the lesser charge of first-degree manslaughter.Judge Harold Rothwax then sentenced him to the maximum penalty then available for that charge — 8 to 25 years in state prison.