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Jury Acquits Man in Murder Trial After Defense Contests Cause of Death
29 Jul
Summary
- Labhruinn Freeman was acquitted of all charges related to Vincente McCalister's death.
- Freeman testified, stating McCalister's death was unrelated to their physical altercation.
- The defense argued alcohol and other substances contributed to McCalister's death.
Labhruinn Freeman, 46, was acquitted on July 29, 2026, of murder, felonious assault, involuntary manslaughter, and assault charges stemming from the death of Vincente McCalister, 59. The trial concluded with the jury delivering a not guilty verdict on all counts.
Freeman testified during the trial, against his attorneys' advice, explaining that a physical altercation occurred after he gave McCalister money for beer. Freeman stated McCalister became aggressive and swung at him with a beer can, leading Freeman to punch him multiple times.
McCalister died over a week after the incident, on August 23, 2025. The medical examiner determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the head. However, the defense attorneys argued that McCalister's high blood alcohol level and potential other substances contributed significantly to his death, leaving room for ambiguity regarding the direct cause.
Prosecutors contended that alcohol, with a blood alcohol level of 0.332%, contributed but did not cause McCalister's death. The defense successfully persuaded the jury that the evidence did not conclusively prove murder, leading to Freeman's acquittal.
