Artesia primarily covers court stories, but she also writes extensively about crime.
A man tearfully thanked a jury after the panel acquitted him of rape on Friday in a 6-3 decision.
Prosecutors had accused Yuel Major of sexually assaulting a woman while she was under the influence of marijuana and alcohol on February 14, 2019.
Major, who is married, claimed in his police interview that the woman was his lover and that the sex was consensual.
He did not take the witness stand in his defense at his trial before Justice Gregory Hilton.
Major’s wife and relatives, who remained outside for the verdict, smiled as Major told them the outcome of the case.
Raquel Whyms and Janessa Murray prosecuted. Myra Russell represented Major.
Despite his acquittal, Major remains on remand after being accused of another sex crime while on bail for the rape case that he won.
Major is facing two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a person with a mental disorder. Prosecutors say that Major’s 27-year-old alleged victim lacked the mental capacity to consent to sex acts that took place sometime in May 2022 and on June 5, 2022.
