NBA players Marcus and Markieff Morris acquitted of assault

Published October 3, 2017 4:09pm MST

PHOENIX (AP) -- A Phoenix jury acquitted NBA players Marcus and Markieff Morris in their aggravated assault trial Tuesday.

The twin brothers were accused of helping three other people beat 36-year-old Erik Hood in January 2015 outside a high school basketball game in Phoenix.

At that time, the brothers played for the Phoenix Suns. Marcus now plays for the Boston Celtics and Markieff is with the Washington Wizards.

After the verdict was read, the Morris brothers said they were relieved and ready to get back to their teams.

Jurors got the case Monday afternoon. They began hearing testimony Sept. 18.

Defense attorney James Belanger said in closing arguments that the case was inexcusably tainted by Hood's mentor trying to solicit two witnesses to implicate the Morris brothers for a cash payment in return.