'Sopranos' star cleared of murder

Former Sopranos star Lillo Brancato Jr. has been cleared of second-degree murder following the 2005 shooting of an off-duty police officer.

However, the 32-year-old has been found guilty of attempted burglary and could face a minimum of three years in prison.

Brancato, who played wannabe mobster Mathew Bevilaqua in the hit show, had been charged in connection with the death of Officer Daniel Enchautegui in New York.

Prosecutors claimed that Enchautegui had disturbed Brancato and his friend Steven Armento as they attempted to break into his neighbour's house in the Bronx, New York, which resulted in Armento fatally shooting the off-duty officer.

However, earlier in the trial Brancato insisted that he had been unaware that Armento, who has been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, was armed.

"This jury spoke loud and clear that Lillo had nothing to do with the murder of this police officer," said his attorney Joseph Tacopina.

Tacopina added that Brancato could be excused from serving a prison sentence because he has been behind bars for three years already awaiting trial.