A jury on Friday acquitted a Beechview man in the death of another man, finding that Connor Makstutis acted in self-defense when he shot Richard Derkach on Banksville Road in 2023.

Mr. Makstutis, who testified in his own defense for about an hour Thursday, said he, Mr. Derkach, and Mr. Derkach’s brother used to be friends, but a falling-out prompted what he described as a 10-month campaign of harassment.

He described several incidents in which he said Mr. Derkach chased him in his vehicle. In another instance, he said Mr. Derkach shot at his mother’s Brookline home.

Defense attorney Lee Rothman had told jurors since his opening statements Wednesday that his client acted in self-defense. Mr. Makstutis testified that by the time he ended up trapped in rush hour traffic with Mr. Derkach at

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