(Michigan City, IN) - A Michigan City man has been found not guilty of murder. However, a La Porte Superior Court 1 jury has convicted him of Aggravated battery and Dangerous Possession of a Firearm in this case.

Hakim Qualls, 20, stood trial last week on the allegation that he had fatally shot 18-year-old Dareon Brown nearly five years ago, when he was 16.

Qualls saw Brown standing outside of a vehicle and shot him in the 200 block of North Karwick Road on the city’s east side, before being taken into custody following a lengthy search involving tracking dogs in a heavily wooded area surrounding Trail Creek.

The defense, citing factors such as bad blood between Qualls and Brown, claimed the incident was a matter of self-defense.

It took this long to try him on the allegations because of a mistrial declared in the original trial, COVID-19-related delays in the court proceedings and Qualls going into hiding for a period of time.