Despite maintaining his innocence, a man accused of shooting a former police officer accepted a plea deal.

Attorneys representing Jessie Murray told Channel 2 Action News they would have won at trial, but accepting a dropped murder charge guaranteed their client wouldn’t see any prison time.

Murray said he considers the situation an opportunity for him to move on with his life.

Murray’s account of what happened during a 2014 bar fight was that Forest Park police Officer Nathan Adams jumped Murray and Murray accidentally shot and killed Adams.

A judge threw out a “stand your ground” defense so Murray’s best shot was pleading guilty to a weapons charge.

Murray told the news station he expects to be put on probation.

Jessie Murray accepted a plea deal and always maintained he was defending himself after five men allegedly attacked him in 2014.