A 21-year-old North Valley Stream man has been cleared of murder charges.

A jury acquitted Pedro Merchant in the shooting death of Dante Quinones, 17, of Hempstead, two years ago.

A key prosecution witness had told the jury he could not remember what happened that day, according to Newsday.

News 12 was there when Merchant was first arraigned, and a courthouse brawl broke out between the two families, injuring 11 court officers.