WEST CHESTER, Pa. (AP) — A suburban Philadelphia man has been acquitted of murder charges in the shooting death of a high school student last year, but convicted of voluntary manslaughter and a weapons offense.

Jurors in Chester County deliberated for almost seven hours on Friday before acquitting 23-year-old Faladez James of first- and third-degree murder in the June 2010 death of 17-year-old Carron London.

James took the stand and denied prosecutors' assertion that there was bad blood between him and the victim. He said London approached him, and he drew his gun when he saw London reaching for his. He said "it was my life or his."

Prosecutors said eyewitnesses gave a different account of the shooting and the victim exhibited "consciousness of guilt" by fleeing, ditching the weapon and changing his clothes.

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