SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Jose Ines Garcia Zarate stood accused of shooting Kate Steinle on a San Francisco pier in 2015.
A jury on Thursday found the man, who was in the country illegally, not guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and involuntary manslaughter. He was found guilty of one charge: illegal possession of a firearm.
The case has sparked a nationwide debate about San Francisco’s “sanctuary city” policy, as Garcia Zarate is a Mexican man who has been deported five times and was released from the San Francisco Jail about three months before the shooting.
The jurors were faced with conflicting arguments from the defense and prosecution in the case. One side argued Garcia Zarate was playing some kind of sick game and murdered Steinle with intent. The other side argued Garcia Zarate was a homeless man who had no idea the gun he held was real, and it went off in a freak accident.
The jury deliberated for six days before reaching their final verdict.
More details about the trial background: http://nbcnews.to/2jenDVi
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