"Mr Brown you are free to go".
With those words from Justice David Davies, Brian Mcgarvie Brown, stood up in the NSW Supreme Court dock and tried to walk down to the cells.
Instead, after hugging his former co-accused Michael and Wade Basanovic, he was ushered to the courtroom door and walked outside a free man.
On Tuesday Justice Davies directed a jury of seven women and five men to find Mr Brown not guilty of the murder of senior Hells Angels member Zeljko "Steve" Mitrovic, who was shot at his transport business in Wetherill Park on the afternoon of January 15, 2013.
The jury was also directed to find him not guilty of causing grievous bodily harm to one of Mr Mitrovic's employees.
The judge told the jury: "Yesterday, when you were out in the jury room for a rather long period, counsel addressed me in relation to the accused, Brian Brown.
"As a result of those addresses and my deliberations on them, I have determined there is in fact no evidence upon which you could properly convict Brian Brown."
In a statement to Fairfax Media, Mr Brown said that he was extremely happy and grateful to be found not guilty.
"I have always maintained that I had nothing to do with it and I've spent two-and-a-half years protesting my innocence.
"It's been a difficult period for me but hopefully I can get my life back together and put it all behind me."
Mr Brown was accused of being in a "joint criminal enterprise" with Michael Basanovic, 49, and his son Wade, 24, in the shooting of Mr Mitrovic.
At the beginning of the trial, Mr Brown's barrister, Winston Terracini, SC, said his client was not accused of shooting or harming anyone.
"Mere presence while a criminal offence is taking place is not enough to make you a part of a joint criminal enterprise," Mr Terracini told the jury.
The court was told Mr Brown and Michael Basanovic were part of the Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gang until 2011. There was no evidence Wade Basanovic was involved with the gang.
The Basanovics remain on trial, and both have pleaded not guilty to murder and causing grievous bodily harm.
The court has previously heard the men had argued with Mr Mitrovic in the office of his transport business, and Wade Basanovic shot him after allegedly getting a "nod" from his father.
Crown prosecutor Siobhan Herbert began delivering her closing address on Tuesday morning relating to the Basanovics, arguing the case was not one that involved self-defence or provocation.
"What they've done is very deliberately gone and laid in wait ... they've taken a loaded gun," Ms Herbert said.
"My submission to you is that this is not a situation where there's a loss of self-control."
The trial continues.
