A jury acquitted Justin McManus, 26, of voluntary manslaughter in the death of Kendrick Blakeney, 25, Wednesday evening.

McManus' attorney, Chelsea McNeill, says he's been jailed since his arrest in September 2005.

Chesterfield County deputies charged McManus with killing Blakeney at a home on Tiny Grove Church Road on September 21, 2005.

McNeill says McManus, then 19, had a bright future ahead of him. She says he had never been in trouble and was awarded a four-year scholarship to play football at a university in North Carolina. In 2004, he was recognized as one of the top high school football players in South Carolina.

She says her client was trying to diffuse a situation between his brother and Blakeney when things got out of control.

Blakeney reached for a gun and that's when McManus grabbed a gun he saw in the home and shot Blakeney eight times in self-defense, according to McNeill.

McManus initially went to trial in 2006 and was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to 35 years in prison.

He filed what's called a post conviction relief, citing ineffective counseling during his trial and was granted a new one last July.

Testimony started Monday afternoon and lasted through Wednesday.

It took the jury about three and a half hours to acquit McManus of voluntary manslaughter.

McNeill says when her client heard not guilty, he cried and repeatedly thanked her and her co-counsel, Rick Jones.

She says he's looking forward to his new life and thankful that the justice system has prevailed on his behalf.

Judge Lee Alford presided over the trial.

It was prosecuted by the South Carolina Attorney General's Office.