Jury Finds Anti-Gang Activist Terrance Roberts Not Guilty

DENVER (CBS4) - An anti-gang activist left Denver's Justice Center Friday morning a free man after being acquitted of all charges in a shooting in Park Hill.

The jury returned a not guilty verdict for Terrance Roberts. He was charged with shooting a man during a peace rally three years ago outside the Boys & Girls Club at 33rd Avenue and Holly Street in Denver's Park Hill neighborhood.

As the judge read the verdict, cheers erupted and people exited the courtroom saying justice had been served. Roberts, 39, walked out and briefly spoke to reporters.

"It's just too bad that it came to all of this and I'm glad that the people listened to what happened to me and I just hope for the best for Park Hill," Roberts said. "I hope for the best for Hasan's family, and it was hard for me to even see that young man like that, but I had to defend my life."

The jury found Roberts not guilty of both charges against him -- attempted first-degree murder and first-degree assault -- in the 2013 shooting of Hasan Jones, 22.

Roberts has maintained the shooting was self-defense and that he had become a gang target. The jury in his case agreed.

Outside the courtroom, Roberts -- who had been working as an anti-gang activist -- said he did then and still today wants the best for Jones, who was paralyzed in the shooting.

"I just hope for the best for Park Hill for Hasan's family and it was hard for me to even see that young man like that but I had to defend my life," said Roberts.

"I've been saying for two years that I did not shoot Hasan for no reason, and why would I want to shoot a young man for no reason who I wanted the best for. And Mr. Jones knows I wanted the best for him, too, and our community," Roberts said. "I'm not a perfect person, but I have no reason to want to shoot a young man, when I'm a developer."

Through Roberts' organization Prodigal Son he helped gang members like a man who identified himself as Damion leave that life behind, "He mentored me and helped me get away from the streets."

Jones refused to testify at the trial, opting instead to take the punishment of ignoring a court subpoena.

From the Arapahoe County Jail where he is awaiting trial on an unrelated matter, Jones spoke of the verdict to CBS4 News.

He said he didn't testify in the Roberts trial because he had a lot on his mind and "wanted to leave it in God's hands." But he added now he wishes he did testify and believes that the jury outcome would've been different.

Jones is in a wheelchair paralyzed from the waist down. He says he plans to sue Roberts claiming he did not threaten him before the shooting took place. He backed up prosecutors claims that Roberts put a knife in his hand after the shooting.

Jones said he does not think it is safe for Roberts to go back to his neighborhood where this happened.

Anxious to leave this chapter of his life behind, Roberts said he hopes to go back to his anti-gang work if he feels he won't be assaulted or killed.

Roberts also had faced a charge of possession of a weapon by a previous offender. That charge was dropped.

CBS4's Rick Sallinger is a Peabody award winning reporter who has been with the station more than two decades doing hard news and investigative reporting. Follow him on Twitter @ricksallinger.