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18-year-old acquitted of Cedar Rapids slaying

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October 30th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — An 18-year-old accused of fatally shooting one man and wounding another teenager has been acquitted by a jury in Cedar Rapids. The jury found Kenyauta Vesey-Keith not guilty Friday of first-degree murder, attempted murder and other crimes. Prosecutors say the March 2016 shooting was proceeded by a Cedar Rapids street fight involving more than a dozen people. They said Vesey-Keith retrieved a gun from a vehicle and fired several times, hitting 21-year-old Brandon Johnson , who died, and a 16-year-old boy.

His lawyers say Vesey-Keith was acting in self-defense. He was 16 at the time.