Lawyers for Doretha Crawford, 34, and Beverly Johnson, 35, said they plan to appeal and seek a new trial to establish their clints's innocence. A Dallas County jury found the women guilty of aggravated assault Wednesday in the March 18 attack that permanently blinded their sister, Myra Obasi.

Ms. Obasi had asked prosecutors not to pursue the case and testified on her sisters' behalf. She said she "thanked God" for the probationary sentences but was unhappy with the guilty verdicts.

"I don't agree with that," she said. "My sisters are my best friends. They love me, and I love them. I know that they did not do this."

Testimony had suggested that the women believed their sister was possessed and blamed her condition on voodoo practices, but their statements Thursday afternoon centered on the Christian faith.

"Only true believers in Christ can undersand what we went through," Ms. Johnson said.

Defense attorney Lela Washington said she also believed Ms. Obasi had been possessed by some supernatural power.

"If you're a Christian, then you know there's a devil," she said.

Ms. Obasi lost her eyesight on March 18 after she and her sisters drove to Dallas from Louisiana and stopped at a prayer house in southeast Oak Cliff. Witnesses testified that they saw Ms. Crawford and Ms. Johnson beating their sister and trying to press cloves of garlic into her eyes. She was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital later that day with her eyes gouged out.

In their testimony Tuesday, the women described leaving Louisiana in terror after being told that another sister had joined forces with a voodoo cult in an effort to have them killed.

On the journey, they said, Ms. Obasi appeared to become possessed by a demonic spirit. Ms. Crawford testified that her sister began breathing mist, her eyes bulged and her tongue grew long and discolored. Ms. Obasi also began speaking in a man's voice, her sister said.

Ms. Obasis said Thursday that neither she nor her sisters believe in voodoo, but said she had been victimized by an evil spirit and that "something that wasn't of this world" took possession of her body.

She testified during the trial that she did not remember who gouged out her eyes.

Assistant District Attorney said he was satisfied with the jury's decision. But he said that others who might be involved in ritual mutilations shouldn't think probation in such cases is guaranteed.

"They've got to remember that each case is decided based on the facts in that case alone," he said.

He also expressed concern about Ms. Obasi's current situation, in which she is being cared for by her sisters and participating in therapy to cope with the leoss of her sight.

"I don't know whether being with the sisters now will help her recovery or hurt it," he said.

But Ms. Obasi said she looks forward to spending time with her siblings and doesn't fear a recurrence of the demon that she says took her sight.

"I know it won't come back," Ms. Obasi said. "I believe God and his word.

"If there's anything I want people to realize from this case, it's that God is real. I'm living proof that he is real."

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