Eze Hart has walked free after a jury found him not guilty of murder by a majority of 9-1 last night.

It capped more than eight hours of deliberation after a trial that lasted five weeks.

Mr Hart, 22, had denied a charge that he murdered Kanye Ford, 16, on September 9, 2022.

The Supreme Court heard that Mr Ford died as a result of a stab wound to the left side of his chest which perforated his heart, one of three sharp-edge injuries found on his body.

While a series of witnesses described a fight breaking out between Mr Ford and Mr Hart, details about who was armed and who dealt the fatal blow differed.

Prosecution witnesses Elijah Smith and Jansen Smith told the jury that they had gone to a party on Horseshoe Bay with Mr Ford on the evening of the fatal stabbing.

They alleged that during the party, Mr Hart and others had confronted them with knives in the parking lot over a missing phone.

The witnesses said that the situation appeared to de-escalate and people began to walk back towards the restroom area when Mr Ford became involved in an argument with Adia Gibbons.

Both witnesses maintained that Mr Hart struck Mr Ford in the back of the head with a bottle, which sparked a fistfight between the men.

Elijah Smith said he attempted to pull the pair apart, but saw Mr Hart stab Mr Ford in his left hip with a knife. He claimed he kicked the defendant before he was chased back by other men with knives.

He told the court that when he turned back, he saw Mr Hart stab Mr Ford a second time, with the blow striking the victim in his chest.

The witness said he and Jansen Smith ran towards Mr Ford and attempted to provide aid until police and paramedics arrived on the scene.

Jansen Smith, meanwhile, said that when the fight broke out, he found himself in a knife fight with another individual.

However, he said he turned in time to see Mr Hart stab Mr Ford in the left side of his chest.

During the trial, both of the witnesses admitted that they had initially lied to police about witnessing the fight and left out details in subsequent interviews.

Mr Hart also took the stand, admitting that he struck Mr Ford with a bottle after he saw him violently shove Ms Gibbons.

The defendant said he fell to the ground in the ensuing fistfight and was attempting to protect himself from punches when Mr Ford was pulled off him and he realised his shirt was covered in blood.

Mr Hart said once he realised he was not injured, he attempted to go to Mr Ford, but was told to leave by Elijah Smith and Jansen Smith, both of whom had knives.

Ms Gibbons also took the stand for the defence, stating she recalled Mr Ford, Elijah Smith and Jansen Smith brandished knives on the evening of the fight as they questioned attendees about a stolen bike.

She said that in the midst of the fistfight between Mr Ford and Mr Hart, she saw Jansen Smith run towards the pair and stab downwards.

Karim Nelson, for the Crown, told the jury that they could rely on the evidence of Elijah Smith and Jansen Smith, who he said put their lives on the line to provide justice for their friend.

While Mr Nelson acknowledged that both men initially lied to police because they did not want to “snitch”, they had come to court and “put everything on the table”.

He noted that the defence witnesses were still on the scene attempting to help Mr Ford when first responders arrived, while the defendant and Ms Gibbons “scattered” after the stabbing.

Charles Richardson, for Mr Hart, said the Crown’s case was built on the story of two confessed liars who admitted colluding to give police a false story in the wake of Mr Ford’s death.

He argued that Mr Ford, Elijah Smith and Jansen Smith had gone to the party to cause trouble, and Ms Gibbons had painted a plausible portrait of a fight that culminated in a “self-created disaster”.

Mr Richardson added that the jury could not convict the defendant unless they were sure he was the guilty party — warning that sending the wrong man to prison would only create another victim.

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