Usaama Ali was stabbed once through the heart and killed on Crown Street in Acton on 16 October 2015.
The prosecution claimed that the stabbing was pre-planned and carried out as the result of an argument between the first defendant and Usaama Ali in the days leading up to the 16th October.
The first defendant, who claimed that he believed Usaama Ali might have been carrying a knife, pleaded guilty to manslaughter after unlawfully taking out his knife.
The second defendant denied having any involvement in the stabbing and maintained that he had come to Crown Street to meet with the first defendant, without any expectation of meeting Usaama Ali.
Following a three-week trial at Isleworth Crown Court, the jury unanimously acquitted the first defendant of murder. The second defendant was unanimously acquitted of both murder and manslaughter.
This case has been widely reported in the national press including by the BBC, The Guardian, and ITV.
Dexter Dias QC and Alex Rose represented the first defendant and were instructed by Sam Yazigi of Mackenzie & Co Solicitors.
Kieran Vaughan QC and Robert Ward of 15 New Bridge Street represented the second defendant and were instructed by Robert Layton of Robert Layton & Co Solicitors.
Dexter, Kieran and Alex are members of the Garden Court Chambers Crime Team.
