Sangsouriyanh Maniphonh

Syracuse, NY -- A Syracuse man who shot and killed a romantic rival during a fight in Armory Square was found not guilty of murder this afternoon by an Onondaga County jury.

Sangsouriyanh Maniphonh, 28, hugged his lawyers, Susan Carey and Patrick Hennessy, after the verdict was announced.

A small cheer came from about a half-dozen family members in the gallery.

Chief Assistant District Attorney Melinda McGunnigle got a hug from Rick Trunfio, second-in-command at the DA's office, after hearing the verdict.

Maniphonh said he acted in self-defense when he fired twice into the chest of Jonathan Diaz, 26, shortly after 1 a.m. on Walton Street.

McGunnigle argued that Maniphonh killed Diaz in a jealous rage over text messages between Diaz and the shooter's wife.

The jury began deliberations at 9 a.m. today. Around 11 a.m., they took an hour to watch the recorded police interview of Maniphonh the night of the shooting, as well as security camera video from the scene. They also listened again to the legal definitions of "intent" and "self-defense."

A member of the Diaz family reacts to the acquital verdict of Sangsouriyanh Maniphonh outside of court.

After the verdict, Maniphonh was taken back to the jail to get his belongings and was due to be freed shortly.

County Court Judge Thomas J. Miller had warned those in attendance for the verdict that he would not tolerate any emotional outbursts that disrupted the announcement.

He referred to the "very ugly" incident last week, in which Diaz's older brother is accused of punching Maniphonh's father in the face. Three arrests were made in the confrontation in the courtroom hallway during a morning break.

There were a dozen court security officers, plus sheriff's deputies, in the courtroom when the verdict was announced.

Reaction to the verdict in the courtroom turned out to be relatively subdued. Members of Diaz family left quietly, some in in tears, and were escorted down the elevators from the third-floor courtroom before Maniphonh's family was excused.

Maniphonh's family waited in the hallway for the defense lawyers, who stopped briefly to speak to media on the way out.

Defense lawyer Susan Carey talks to the press after the acquital verdict of her client Sangsouriyanh Maniphonh.

Maniphonh had expressed "extreme remorse" for what happened the night of Diaz's death, Carey told reporters. But he was relieved to be able to go home to his family.

Maniphonh's wife, who was the subject of the dispute between Maniphonh and Diaz, staunchly supported her husband throughout the trial. She declined comment.

Had he been convicted, Maniphonh faced up to 25 years to life in prison.