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A Washington County jury found a Tulsa man not guilty on Friday of first-degree murder and also acquitted him on the lesser charges of first-degree manslaughter in the 2021 shooting deaths of two men at a Bartlesville bar.

Gregory Lonnell Rogers, of Tulsa, was accused of murdering Austin Standeford and Van Parson in a shooting at the Kickstand Saloon back in December 2021. The jury did find Rogers guilty of carrying a weapon where alcohol is served.

Rogers also admitted to shooting and killing the two men, but claimed it was in self-defense.

The week-long trial began with jury selection on Monday. Opening statements were given on Tuesday. Prosecutors called 17 witnesses during the trial including six witnesses who were in the bar at the time of the shooting.

Friday morning, jurors heard instructions from Washington County District Judge Linda Thomas and closing arguments from prosecutors and Rogers’ defense attorney before being sequestered to the jury room shortly after noon.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office claimed Rogers went to the bar looking for trouble and murdered the two men after they confronted him about inappropriate actions in the bar and attempted to kick him out. Prosecutors said during closing arguments, “You don’t bring a gun into a bar unless you’re looking for trouble, and also announce that ‘I’m strapped.’” They also argued that Rogers wouldn’t have hidden the gun if he was acting is self-defense.

Rogers’ defense attorney Chase McBride argued that the shooting was in self-defense. He contends that there was a fight in the bar and that Rogers was on the ground when he fired the shots. “Mr. Rogers was hit, went to the ground and defended himself,” McBride told jurors.

McBride also questioned why there was no video of the incident when there were security cameras in the bar, but authorities claim the cameras weren’t working on the night of the shooting.

After five hours of deliberations, the jury came back with the not guilty verdicts on the murder and manslaughter charges, but found Rogers guilty of bringing a gun into the bar. Rogers will be sentenced on that conviction at a later date.