King County Jury finds defendant "not guilty" of Murder in the Second Degree
Jan 27, 2023OUTCOME: Not Guilty
A King County jury found Darian Downing not guilty of murder in the second degree in the shooting death of Marcus Golden. The jury believed that Downing acted in self-defense and that he was not engage ... d in criminal conduct at the time of the shooting. In Washington, a homicide is justified if a person believes that he or she is in danger of great person injury or a victim of a violent felony. Downing's defense alleged that Golden attempted to assault him with brass knuckles and tire plug insertion tool. Ultimately, the jury was asked to decide whether Downing acted reasonably and whether the force used was in proportion to the threat posed by Golden. A diverse jury that included six men and six women returned a verdict of not guilty after deliberating for a little over three hours. Downing's defense lawyer, James Curtis, argued that Downing acted in self-defense and that the prosecution ignored evidence and witness statements that demonstrated Golden's intent to assault Downing with weapons. Curtis noted that “Downing will now be tasked with rebuilding his life after two-years of incarceration.”