A man who stabbed another man to death in a Wangaratta park will walk from custody after being found not guilty of murder and manslaughter.
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Jaxen Henderson-Gillespie died of blood loss after being stabbed in the neck by Zachary Johnson on August 21, 2021.
The incident occurred at Scout Park and led to Johnson being charged with murder.
A jury found Johnson not guilty of either murder or manslaughter, with the verdict delivered about 2.05pm on Wednesday in the Wangaratta Supreme Court.
Johnson's lawyers had argued at trial that the incident was an accident.
The accused man had told police after the incident that he had just wanted an attack by the late man, and his friend Brody Rouse, to stop.
The court heard the trio had met for a drug deal.
The prosecution said there were inconsistencies in the stabber's version of events.
Jurors, who began their deliberations late on Tuesday morning, were told by Justice Amanda Fox manslaughter was also a possible verdict if Johnson was found not guilty of murder.
The Supreme Court heard there was no dispute that the late man was stabbed by Johnson, but his defence argues he didn't mean to do so with issues of self defence raised.
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Justice Amanda Fox had summarised the evidence in the case earlier this week and points of law to the jury for several hours in Wangaratta.
Jurors were told "you alone are the judges of the facts".
"It is for you and you alone to decide if he is guilty or not guilty of this crime," Justice Fox said.
After the verdict was delivered on Wednesday, she thanked the jurors for their service.
"Trial by jury is an essential part of our criminal justice system, but it cannot and does not work unless people like yourselves are prepared to give up your everyday lives and perform that duty," she said.
Justice Fox told the jurors they had been diligent and hard working throughout the trial.
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