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ST. LOUIS – Authorities say a St. Louis man has been acquitted in the fatal shooting of his uncle.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that jurors deliberated 45 minutes Tuesday before deciding that 35-year-old Jason Westbrook, of St. Louis, wasn’t guilty. He claimed that he shot and killed 57-year-old Frederick Thomas in self-defense.

Attorneys say Westbrook testified that his uncle had a reputation for violence and for making threats against family members.

Police recovered a .380-caliber pistol from the basement and bullets of the same caliber from Westbrook’s pants pocket. Westbrook told police he and Thomas had struggled over the gun in Westbrook’s grandmother’s home.
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Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com