MADISONVILLE-With eyewitness testimony that slightly contradicted itself, including from the accused himself, a jury decided a killing had taken place, but it didn't reach the level of first-degree murder.

Several people took the witness stand last week and told their version of what happened when Ralph Hunt shot and killed Gerald Strickland, but the versions differed just enough the jury rejected the state's claim of first-degree murder and instead convicted Hunt of two counts of voluntary manslaughter and theft over $500.

Defense attorney Leon Shahan said from the opening of the trial that Hunt had been defending himself on May 31, 2011, when Strickland attempted to attack him with an ax handle and witness testimony supported that theory, with several witnesses saying Strickland came rushing out of a garage with a war cry and the ax handle raised over his right shoulder.

See full story in the Sunday, March 17, edition of The Advocate & Democrat.