Manslaughter conviction upheld in Joe McKnight's shooting

Published Jul. 6, 2019 6:21 p.m. ET

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A state appeals court has voted to uphold the manslaughter conviction of the man sentenced to 30 years in prison for fatally shooting former NFL player Joe McKnight during a road rage confrontation.

The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate reports a three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeal unanimously rejected acquittal arguments from Ronald Gasser's attorney, Loyola University law professor Dane Ciolino.

Ciolino argued that prosecutors didn't prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the December 2016 shooting was unjustified under "stand your ground" and "shoot the intruder" state laws. He also faulted the court for allowing prosecutors to bring up a 10-year-old road rage encounter involving Gasser.

In an opinion released Wednesday, Judge Robert Chiasson said the defendant's arguments were without merit.