PORTLAND (AP) – A Cumberland County Superior Court jury has found three teenagers not guilty of aggravated assault in the beating of David Wilcox of Westbrook, who died four days after a fight in which he was punched and kicked.

Alexander Layug, 18, of Portland, and Nicholas Lavigne and Wade DePalma, both 19 and from Westbrook, were charged in connection with the July 3 incident on a Westbrook street.

Wilcox, 33, was hospitalized following the fight and discharged himself two days later against medical advice. He collapsed the next day and returned to the hospital, where he died July 7.

The defendants, who were originally charged with manslaughter, admitted they fought with Wilcox. But they said they acted in self defense after he threatened to get a gun and kill them. Few facts about the incident were disputed during the three-day trial.

A jury of seven women and five men returned the not guilty verdict Wednesday after about three hours of deliberations.

Lavigne’s father, Paul Lavigne, said after the trial that his son was “not feeling good about what happened, that’s for sure.”

“It shouldn’t have happened, but it did. He was defending himself. He just didn’t want no one to get hurt,” said Paul Lavigne. Wilcox’s uncle and other family members left the courthouse without speaking to reporters.

According to testimony during the trial, the attack occurred after a series of confrontations involving Wilcox and Tim and Julie Pace, relatives of his girlfriend, outside of the Paces’ home. The defendants were friends of the Paces.

Lawyers for the defendants said the charges were reduced because the state would not have been able to prove that the beating caused Wilcox’s death.