Owen Labrie Found Not Guilty of Felony Sexual Assault in Prep School Trial

CONCORD, N.H. (ABC News) — Owen Labrie was found not guilty of felony sexual assault, and guilty of a felony related to computer use and four misdemeanors, in a case at St. Paul’s School, a prestigious New Hampshire prep school. The jury of nine men and three women delivered a not guilty verdict on the three felony sexual assault charges on the second day of deliberations. He also was found not guilty of simple assault, a misdemeanor. Labrie was found guilty of four misdemeanors relating to sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child. He was also found guilty of one felony for using a computer to “seduce, solicit, lure or entice a child under the age of 16.” Jury reaches verdict in prep school rape trial that cast harsh light on elite institution. Owen Labrie, now 19, was accused of raping a fellow student in May 2014 at the school in Concord, New Hampshire. He was charged with multiple felonies relating to the encounter and had entered a not-guilty plea. If Labrie is found guilty of one of the three felonious sexual assault charges, he will be sent straight to jail. The sentencing phase would last 30 to 60 days. If Labrie is found guilty only of some or all of the six misdemeanor charges, he can walk out of the courthouse and the court must set a new bail date. The alleged victim, whose name is being withheld because of the nature of the crime, testified last week. “I was raped!” she said loudly amid tears. “I was violated in so many ways.” When Labrie took the stand this week, he described their activity, which he said was mutual, but he denied having sex with her. “It wouldn’t have been a good move to have sex with this girl,” he recalled thinking at the time when he said he and the alleged victim were making out in a school tower. Prosecutor Catherine Ruffle said in court that the encounter at the center of the case was part of a “senior salute,” a tradition at the prep school. Ruffle said that the “senior salute” practice was largely intended as a way for graduating seniors “to be with someone that they might have wanted to be with throughout” high school, and could include activities like walking to class together or kissing but “it might include a little bit more.” She also said some students believed Labrie and some of his friends had turned the tradition into a competition. ABC News’ Gio Benitez contributed to this report.