Former Bethune-Cookman football player cleared of campus gunfight charges

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A former Bethune-Cookman University football player accused of exchanging gunfire across a school parking lot in February 2015 was found not guilty Wednesday in Volusia County Court.

The jury announced the verdict just after 1 p.m. on charges of discharging a firearm on school property and principal to aggravated battery with a deadly weapon filed against Ladell Pleasure.

Pleasure, a walk-on defensive end, was accused of being one of two gunmen involved with the shooting and had been identified by a witness.

During the trial, though, his defense attorney showed surveillance video, which was not clear enough to identify the shooter, and that showed the witness looking in the opposite direction.

It took the jury a little more than 30 minutes to deliver the not guilty verdict.

Pleasure says he plans to return to school, though not at Bethune-Cookman, and plans to continue to pursue a career in the NFL.

Photos: 3 wounded in Bethune-Cookman University shooting

Surveillance: Bethune-Cookman University shooting

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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