Jurors Reach Not-Guilty Verdict in Sex Assault Case

Bridgeport – A Norwalk man was found not guilty Tuesday of sexually assaulting a woman after a party two years ago.

A six-member Superior Court jury deliberated about three hours before finding Jesus Rodriguez, 22, not guilty of second-degree sexual assault.

Rodriguez, of Buda Street, broke into tears after the verdict was announced and hugged his lawyer, Wayne Keeney.

“This was an instance of two young people acting irresponsibly with drugs and alcohol, but no crime occurred,” Keeney said later. “Let’s hope they can put this behind them and move on with their lives.”

On April 2, 2001, a 21-year-old city woman told police she had been sexually assaulted the day before while attending a party on king street.

The woman said she had been drinking alcohol and taking drugs at the party and had passed out, police said, She later awoke in a bed with Rodriguez next to her, police said, and realized she had just had sex with him. Rodriguez admitted having sex with the woman but claimed it was consensual.