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After 2 and a half years on remand, Renan Briceno, nephew of Orange Walk Central Area Rep, John Briceno, managed to walk out of court a free man after Justice Troadio Gonzalez found him not guilty in a trial without jury today.

It's very significant ending for Briceno and his family, but the family of the man he was accused of killing, 19 year-old Dale Tillett, was beside themselves with disappointment at the outcome of his case.

The prosecution, led by Crown Counsels Shanice Lovell and Portia Staine called several witnesses to testify against him. Their key piece of evidence, however, came from Albert "Long John" Fuentes, who you will remember, was killed last year January in the George Street mass murder.

He couldn't testify, but the crown managed to get his written testimony in evidence. Fuentes said in his statement that he and Tillett went to Palm Island and he went outside. He said that on Saturday, December 31, 2011, while he was waiting for Tillett to come out he heard gunshots. He said that he saw Tillett fly up in the air and land on the ground. He said that while Tillett was on the ground he saw Briceno come and stand over him and fire a shot. Tillett was shot in his head and his buttocks. Another key witness for the prosecution was Police Constable James Jones, who was one of 16 called to the stand. He testified for the prosecution, and said that when he took away the gun away from Briceno the barrel was hot, suggesting that the gun had just been fired.

In his defence, Briceno testified and admitted that he was at Palm Island at the time of the incident but denied that he was the person who shot Tillett. Briceno said that he was in charge of marketing and promoting Smart and he went to Palm Island with Tulio Caceres to promote the company. He said he went into the club and left Caceres outside to hold his licensed 9 millimeter pistol. Briceno said that when he was leaving the club a fight erupted and Fuentes struck him on his head and he was dazed for about 30 seconds; then, he heard gunshots. He said when he got up Caceres told him to run, which he did, and he took cover behind a vehicle. He said Caceres handed him his gun when he came from behind the vehicle, and that's when the police came and took it away from him.

After deliberating on the evidence, which included a written statement from an eyewitness who claims to have seen Briceno standing over Tillett with a gun, Justice Troadio Gonzalez found Briceno not guilty, and set him free.

He walked out of court, and declined any interview to the media this afternoon, and so did his attorney and family members. Tillett's family also attended the hearing today, and when we approached them for a reaction, they declined also.

As we've said, it's a significant win for Briceno, but the DPP's Office does have the right of an appeal of an acquittal by judge. It remains to be seen if that high office will take that route.