A man who was charged in a late February 2021 shooting was acquitted by a jury of his peers late this afternoon in a Polk County courtroom.

Jesse Castillo was acquitted on all charges after his attorneys put forth a successful “Stand Your Ground” defense in the shooting death of Michael Griffith, 40, on the night of February 27, 2021.

The case ultimately came down to the circumstances of the shooting on that fateful night just over two years ago.

Castillo, now 42, at the time was at the Clarkwood Road home with his girlfriend, who was a renting a room from an older man who also was a resident.

Griffith had come over to spend time with the girlfriend of the older resident and arrived on a motorcycle in the driveway, and when Castillo’s girlfriend realized that he arrived, tried to avoid any contact between Castillo and Griffith due to a previous altercation they had over an alleged theft years before.

Castillo’s girlfriend asked Griffith to leave while still outside, but he refused. When Castillo became aware that Griffith was there, an altercation ensued and differing versions of what happened next were presented to the jury.

Ultimately, shots were fired and Griffith died and Castillo fled and hid out in Bartow County until he was found in the following days.

Castillo’s trial began two years to the day the shooting occurred on Monday, and closing arguments were wrapped up by Wednesday afternoon.

The jury took the full day to deliberate before returning the acquittal on all charges late this afternoon.

This latest murder trial in the Tallapoosa Circuit Superior Court was presided over by Chief Judge Mark Murphy.