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A jury has wrapped up work on the Benjamin Shaw murder trial and found the defendant not guilty. The 23-year-old Shaw was accused of killing Barksdale Airman
Zechariah Casagranda.

The 34-year-old airman was killed in the parking lot of Rockin Rodeo in Bossier City in January of 2016. The jury spent nearly six hours deliberating the case against Shaw who was charged with second degree murder.

Lead defense attorney Jose Baez told the jury Shaw was threatened by Casagranda and another man and that resulted in the fatal stabbing. Baez is best known for his successful defense in the Casey Anthony case in Florida.

Defense witnesses testified that the two parties had been arguing inside the club shortly before closing time. One witness told the jury "Casagranda and his friend were “1000 percent the aggressors.”

Earlier in the week, Bossier Detective Michael Hardesty told the panel he got reports that Casagranda had told others he wanted to meet Shaw and his friends in the parking lot.

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