A Callaway County jury acquitted a corrections officer of manslaughter.
Steven Julian, 47, of Altenburg was charged with felony involuntary manslaughter in the 2 nd degree for shooting Zachary Snyder, 23, last February outside an apartment in Cape Girardeau.
The charge alleged Julian caused Snyder’s death by criminal negligence. Snyder was unarmed that night when Julian approached him without officer back-up and fatally shot him once in the back.
His trial began Monday morning. After a day and a half of testimony, a jury needed less than an hour to deliberate Tuesday before rendering the not guilty verdict.
Julian said the shooting was in self-defense.
