BUTLER, Pa. (EYT) — A Butler County jury acquitted an Eau Claire man of all charges on Friday, February 16, in the March 2023 shooting death of his mother’s boyfriend.
(Photo above: Dakota Hughes, inset, was found not guilty on murder charges in Butler County Court.)
The jury found Dakota B. Hughes not guilty of first-degree and third-degree homicide, along with charges of voluntary and involuntary manslaughter, and aggravated assault, after deliberating for just over a day.
The case centered around the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Seth G. Smith, of Polk, which occurred in the home Hughes shared with his mother.
Hughes, who had been in county prison without bail since his arrest following the incident, testified that he acted in self-defense when Smith approached him aggressively after being told he was not welcome.
The trial featured evidence including a video of Hughes’ police interview, autopsy and scene photos, and 911 call recordings.
The defense pointed to Hughes’ claims of feeling threatened and the discovery of a knife in Smith’s pocket as justification for the shooting.
Background information revealed in court highlighted a history of threats and violence between Hughes and Smith, including a prior threat by Hughes to kill Smith after a confrontation, and multiple instances of Smith’s violent behavior towards Hughes’ mother.
Hughes’ attorney Al Lindsay praised the jury’s recognition of self-defense rights. Butler County Assistant District Attorney Mark Lope said he respects the jury’s decision.
Smith’s family declined to comment on the verdict.
