A young Quebec man has been acquitted of manslaughter in the death of a man who tried to stop him and a friend from kicking a pumpkin around in a grocery store parking lot more than four years ago.

Paul Hines, 57, died in hospital a week after he attempted to stop what he believed was the theft of a large pumpkin from outside an IGA at 203 d'Aylmer St. on Sept. 29, 2011.

Korey Perry, a Pontiac, Que., resident who was 19 at the time and is now 23, was initially charged with assault. The charge was upgraded to manslaughter once police received autopsy results.

During the trial, court heard that Hines and his wife were cycling when they spotted Perry and another teen kicking the pumpkin. Hines cycled over to them and asked the teens to put the pumpkin back.

The altercation escalated. Hines pushed Perry several times while Perry insulted him, and Hines began to walk away. But Hines returned when Perry continued to insult him.

Lawyer argued punch was self defence

Hines pushed Perry again and Perry responded by punching Hines in the face. Hines was knocked unconscious by the punch and hit the ground hard.

Perry and his friend then biked away, saying Hines had gotten what he deserved, court heard.

Hines never regained consciousness and died about a week later in hospital.

Perry's defence lawyer, Gérard Larocque, argued that Perry's punch wasn't intended to kill Hines, and that he had a right to defend himself from Hines' shove.

The Crown, Brigitte Gendron, argued it wasn't self defence, and that Perry did everything he could to provoke Hines and encourage a physical fight.

Perry was acquitted by Justice Réal Lapointe on Thursday.