Man acquitted of attempted murder in 2023 Cohoes shooting case

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)-- An Albany County jury has found an anti-violence advocate not guilty of attempted murder in an August 2023 shooting in Cohoes. However, the Albany County District Attorney's office said Dontie Mitchell was found guilty of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Mitchell is scheduled for sentencing on February 13. The verdicts for both charges came after deliberations began on Friday.

Assistant Albany County Public Defender Rebekah Sokol said Mitchell's case was in self-defense, trying to keep an adult man away from a gang, and he had the gun in his possession after someone left it in his car. Assistant District Attorney Jessica Blain-Lewis said Mitchell was there to "collect" the 20-year-old.

Mitchell had initially faced a second-degree murder charge in connection to Shieer Leggett's death, but the charge was dropped in December 2023. Leggett died after being caught in the crossfire of a group of people near the intersection of Main Street and Schyler Street.