Clarence Moses-EL was found not guilty today on three counts, including sexual assault and burglary, related to a rape that occurred in 1987, reported Noelle Phillips of the Denver Post. It was his second trial related to the crime.
Moses-EL was released from prison after being imprisoned for 28 years when a judge vacated his conviction, based in part on the confession of another man.
Though Moses-El and his lawyers hoped that the Denver District Attorney would not pursue a new trial, this second trial began in November. (When a judge vacates a conviction, it is as if the original trial never happened, the president of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar explained to the Denver Post.)
Jurors returned their not-guilty verdict after about four hours of deliberations.
The case was prosecuted by Bonnie Benedetti, chief deputy district attorney.
Here was her statement on the outcome: “I want to thank the jury for their time and attention during the course of the trial. I am proud to work in an office that believes and stands by the victim, and in which investigative resources were provided that enabled us to challenge the credibility of the so-called confession by LC Jackson ... It was the right thing to allow a jury – not public opinion – to make the decision in this case.”
