Dr. Steven Hall, 48, has been convicted of second-degree manslaughter in the death of his wife, Isabel (MacVicar) Hall, who was originally from Sydney River, N.S. (Boyle County Detention Center/Associated Press)

A doctor has been found guilty of second-degree manslaughter in the death of his Cape Breton-born wife in Kentucky in 2009.

A jury in Danville, Ky., convicted Dr. Steven Hall late Tuesday after deliberating for almost 11 hours, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.

Hall was accused of killing his wife, Isabel MacVicar, by pushing her off a pontoon boat and running her over on Herrington Lake, near their home in Harrodsburg, in May 2009.

Witnesses testified that MacVicar yelled that her husband was trying to kill her.

Hall was in control of the boat. He drove it in the direction of MacVicar, striking and killing her.

He claimed it was an accident and pleaded not guilty.

Hall's lawyer said his client will appeal the verdict.

"We definitely thought that there's more than reasonable doubt that it was an accident, and I think the jury believed it was an accident, based on their verdict," said Stephen Romines.

"But they also found some reckless conduct … I think they basically said even moving the boat with someone in the water is a criminal act."

Sentencing will begin on Wednesday in Boyle Circuit Court. Hall faces a prison sentence of five to 10 years.

Romines said Wednesday he's confident Hall will be out of jail soon, even though he's been found guilty.

Hall has been in custody for more than a year.

"Obviously a week ago we were facing life, and now he'll be out very shortly if not almost immediately and we can appeal the case while he's out," Romines said.

Hall graduated from Dalhousie University medical school in Halifax in 1988. MacVicar was originally from Sydney River.