Calvin Bell, the Binghamton man charged with murder in the death of Bretnie Owens in June of 2013, has been found not guilty in a Broome County Court.


A jury found Calvin Bell not guilty on all counts -- including second-degree murder.


The Broome County jury reached a verdict after two and a half days of deliberating.


Bell is now a free man.


His family felt both relieved and vindicated as they learned the news.


"People, they'll do anything to execute somebody or convict somebody without the proper evidence. So I'm so happy that the outcome was very good," said Pamela Bell.


Throughout the trial, Bell's lawyer, Michael Korchak, kept pointing out the lack of any physical evidence linking Bell to the scene of the crime, victim Bretnie 'Sha' Owens' south side home.


"We'll never really know exactly what the jury hung their hat on, but they did take their job seriously and that's the way the system works," said Michael Korchak.


Bell has always denied the allegations that he and co-defendant Nigel Smith forced their way into Owens' home on Stone Street in Binghamton in 2013. The pair was also accused of stealing drugs and money.


Korchak also questioned the credibility of the prosecution's witnesses, which include two inmates who testified that Bell confessed to the crime.


"That's obviously, by the jury's decision, that's what it came down to. There were several issues in the case that created a reasonable doubt," said Korchak.


The trial for Nigel Smith is scheduled to begin on June 29th.