Former Baylor defensive end Shawn Oakman has been acquitted of a sexual assault charge.
Following a two-day trial, a McLennan (Texas) County deliberated two hours before finding Oakman not guilty on Thursday, according to the Associated Press.
The Oakman case was one of many examined in Violated: Exposing Rape at Baylor University amid College Football’s Sexual Assault Crisis, a 2017 book by ESPN’s Paula Lavigne and Mark Schlabach.
Oakman was on trial for allegedly sexually assaulting his then-girlfriend at her off-campus residence on April 3, 2016. The woman said she had been out drinking with friends, and invited Oakman to join her. The two eventually had sex, but Oakman maintained it was consensual -- and, obviously, the jury agreed with him, or at least couldn’t find enough evidence to convict him. The woman, who was 22 at the time, testified in the case, and that testimony was a point of disagreement, according to Waco Tribune reporter Tommy Witherspoon:
The jury just sent a note to the judge requesting the alleged victim's testimony because of "several disagreements" over her testimony.
— Tommy Witherspoon (@TSpoonFeed) February 28, 2019
Oakman was arrested less than two weeks after the incident. Oakman graduated from Baylor in December of 2015 and left school as the Bears’ all-time sacks leader.
Oakman is crying and hugging his defense team as his family and friends thank Jesus and praise the Lord.
— Tommy Witherspoon (@TSpoonFeed) February 28, 2019
At one time speculated as a possible No. 1 overall pick, Oakman was not selected in the 2016 NFL Draft.