The verdict of not guilty came in just before noon Thursday–earlier report follows:
After closing arguments in the rape trial involving an August of 2014 incident, jury deliberation began.
“This was a date rape”. That was a statement given by Prosecuting State Attorney, Wes Garrison during the final day of the jury trial for Fort Riley soldier, Sean Wedgwood, who is charged in an alleged rape crime that is said to have taken place at the Carmike Seth Child Cinema movie theater parking lot. This case has been held the past couple days in Riley County District Court Judge, David Stutzman’s courtroom.
During Garrison’s closing statements, he reviewed comments made by Wedgwood, as well as the victim. He stated he believed the facts necessary of convicting Wedgwood of rape are there. But, if the jury didn’t feel this is true, they should consider attempted rape, which is the lesser option in this case.
Defense Attorney, Larry McRell expressed the importance of consent in his argument. He referred to the fact that the victim never used “the safe word” that she and the defendant came up with. He also alluded to a few instances of what he calls “reasonable doubt” in the case. Such as, the victim didn’t get a sexual assault examination, she didn’t attempt to honk the car horn during the incident, the lead detective was never called in, and it took some time for the victim’s jeans to be submitted for evidence.
In Garrison’s final argument, he stated “for the defendant-this was a fantasy, for the victim-it was a nightmare. If she was really into this [the alleged rape], then why was it a problem?” As to the comment McRell made about the victim not honking the horn, Garrison said, “how’s she going to honk the horn or dial a phone if her hands are pinned back?”
Jurors went into deliberation at 9:45 Wednesday morning and returned with the verdict before 11:45.
