PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — On Friday, a jury quickly found three security guards not guilty of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of a man who was held down at a mall near Detroit in 2014. This case, which had been closed years ago without any charges, was reopened by state prosecutors.

During the weeklong trial, which featured closing arguments from both sides, the jury—composed of eight women and four men—deliberated for about an hour before reaching their verdict.

The man who died, McKenzie Cochran, was a 25-year-old Black man with an enlarged heart. He was heard repeatedly saying, “I can’t breathe” while five guards restrained him at Northland Center mall. The incident began after a jewelry store owner called security, claiming Cochran had threatened to kill someone.

A 10-minute struggle was captured on low-quality mall surveillance video as well as by witnesses. Cochran was eventually handcuffed and placed against a pillar while the guards waited for police and paramedics. The medical examiner later determined that the cause of death was asphyxiation.

Defense attorneys argued that the guards acted to protect themselves and the mall’s customers by trying to control Cochran so they could handcuff him. The situation escalated from two guards to five, and they initially used pepper spray during the encounter.

Defense attorney Jamil Khuja remarked to the jury, “If someone had found a gun in that man’s pocket, they’d be calling these men heroes. Instead, a decade later—after all this time—they’re being put on trial again.”

After the verdict was announced, John Seiberling, Gaven King, and Aaron Maree embraced each other and their lawyers. They chose not to speak publicly about their acquittals. Their family and friends in the courtroom expressed their relief with applause and cheers, while no members of Cochran’s family were present, as his mother and sister have passed away.

During closing arguments, a prosecutor asked jurors to use “common sense” and hold the guards accountable, claiming that their gross negligence contributed to the tragic outcome. Assistant Attorney General LaDonna Logan stated, “This death did not have to happen. When a man says multiple times, ‘I can’t breathe,’ common sense suggests these defendants should have repositioned him. They did nothing.”

Initially classified as an accident in 2014, Cochran’s death prompted no charges from the Oakland County prosecutor at that time. However, in 2021, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel decided to pursue charges amid national protests following the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after being pinned to the ground by police in Minneapolis.

Nessel expressed disappointment in the acquittals, stating they were “not what we had hoped for.” Defense lawyers reminded the jury of the ten years that had passed since Cochran’s death, questioning why charges were filed only after a decade.

Defense attorney Wright Blake pointed out, “There was no negligence back then; no charges were filed. So what changed between 2014 and 2021? Was it political motives?” He noted that the only new evidence presented was the opinion of Dr. Carl Schmidt, a forensic pathologist who testified that the death might be considered a homicide, despite not being involved in the original autopsy.

King’s attorney, Doraid Elder, told The Associated Press, “Allowing politics to influence whether to charge the case isn’t the right approach.” He also mentioned that Jessica Cooper, the local prosecutor who decided not to file charges a decade ago, should feel justified in her decision, especially after losing her reelection bid in 2020.

The final witness in the trial was Charles Key, a former police supervisor from Baltimore who is considered an expert in the use of force. He testified that Cochran’s struggle to breathe did not change his view that the guards’ actions to restrain him were reasonable. Key stated, “If he’s talking, it means he’s breathing, even if it’s not well. Resisting aggressively also requires oxygen.” He noted that Cochran could have been handcuffed in just 30 seconds if he hadn’t resisted.

In a related development, another guard, Lucius Hamilton, pleaded guilty last week and is expected to serve only 90 days in jail. The guard who was at the forefront of the encounter with Cochran passed away in 2017.

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