Joshua Lindsay Elkerton-Sandy, 21, is set to walk free after a Brisbane Supreme Court jury took only a couple of hours to reach its verdict on Wednesday.
Security was beefed up at the courtroom following tensions between supporters of Elkerton-Sandy and Kane Alexanderson who was 18 when he died of a stab wound to the heart three years ago.
Tensions boiled over after the verdict with groups clashing outside the court building despite a heavy security presence.
At one stage Elkerton-Sandy supporters retreated back into the court building, sprinting to evade a rival group in pursuit.
A woman was restrained by a number of security in the court foyer.
Police soon arrived with a number of officers standing outside the court building.
The jury heard Elkerton-Sandy reached for a knife when a group including Alexanderson barged into a Brisbane CBD high-rise apartment three years ago.
Members of the group had a “beef” with Elkerton-Sandy and planned an attack for days, defence barrister Stephen Kissick told the jury during the trial.
A nine-strong group including Alexanderson had been drinking at a building nearby and left to confront Elkerton-Sandy who was at the apartment with friends to watch Australia Day fireworks.
The group snatched a security card for the apartment and seven members were able to barge their way in with Alexanderson leading the charge, the court heard.
Some were armed with beer bottles.
After a confrontation that lasted barely a minute, the group fled with three members suffering stab wounds.
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One was slashed in the face, another in the torso and arm while Alexanderson was stabbed twice, including a 6cm deep wound that penetrated his heart.
“There will be no … contest that Joshua Elkerton-Sandy caused Kane Alexanderson’s death,” crown prosecutor David Nardone had told the jury.
“The question becomes did Joshua Elkerton-Sandy lawfully act in self-defence?”
Kissick told the jury that Alexanderson was part of an intoxicated mob who had committed a violent home invasion.
He said Elkerton-Sandy had reached for the first thing that he could see when the group entered and grabbed a knife.
“If seven people ran into your house unexpectedly, what would you do?” Kissick asked the jury.
“This wasn’t just a bunch of mates popping over … it was a run-in gang bashing.
“He chose to stand up to this gang … he was obviously entitled to defend himself.”
Elkerton-Sandy looked skyward in relief when a not guilty verdict was read out.
The public gallery was quiet after Justice Sean Cooper had earlier warned they could not express their feelings about a verdict.
However, groups clashed outside the court building soon afterwards.
