A New York man has been acquitted of all charges in relation to the 2013 fatal shooting of another man who was wanted on rape charges.
David Carlson faced charges of manslaughter and negligent homicide in a bench trial for the death of Norris Acosta-Sanchez.
Carlson was accused of firing his shotgun twice at Acosta-Sanchez as the pair walked along the road where Carlson lives. Carlson claimed he was escorting Acosta-Sanchez at gunpoint, so a neighbor could call police and that the fugitive lunged at him before the shooting.
In the past six and a half years, Carlson has been through two murder indictments, one jury trial, and a manslaughter conviction that was later overturned, The Times Herald-Record reported Thursday.
Carlson’s defense team argued that that he acted in self defense.
“There’s no winners here. It was a tragic loss of life,” said Benjamin Ostrer, one of the lawyers representing Carlson.
The Westchester District Attorney’s Office said in a statement that it was disappointed but respected the judge’s decision.
