A Boulder County jury has acquitted a University of Colorado student accused of sexually assaulting a fellow student in 2015.
William Norris, 23, was found not guilty of sexual assault on Thursday morning following an eight-day trial.
“The system worked the right way in this case,” Norris’ attorney Lara Marks Baker said in a statement following the verdict. “Through the thoughtful deliberation and focus of these jurors, the truth of this case was affirmed. Mr. Norris is not guilty of the allegations against him, has been steadfast in his innocence and had his day in court.”
Boulder Deputy District Attorney Tim Johnson, who tried the case, also thanked the jury for its work. The jury deliberated for about eight hours Wednesday and Thursday before coming back with the verdict.
“We respect their decision in this case,” Johnson said in a statement. “But we also wanted to express our gratitude to the victim in this case and her bravery to come forward. Sexual assault crimes are grossly under-reported and many studies show that only 10 percent of victims come forward.”
Police said a woman came to them on Jan. 26, 2016, and said Norris — who she described as a friend — had sexually assaulted her on July 14. Norris said that the woman initiated the sex and that it was consensual.
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