A Barnstable Superior Court jury found Mark Hession, the former Cape Cod priest accused of rape, not guilty Friday on two counts of rape alleged to have occurred between 2005 and 2008.
The jury deadlocked, however, on one count of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, alleged to have taken place in 2002.
Judge Mark C. Gildea declared a mistrial on the charge of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, saying the jury was “hopelessly deadlocked.” A status hearing on the indictment will be held Aug. 19 in Barnstable Superior Court.
Outside the courthouse following the verdict, Hession and his defense team, attorneys Frank C. Corso and Paolo G. Corso, and said they had no comment on the verdict.
“We believed in our case,” said Cape and Islands District Attorney Rob Galibois following the verdict. “I want to recognize the victim’s courage to come into court to testify, and we respect the jurors’ verdict.”
Following closing statements made by the defense and prosecution June 14, court was adjourned over the weekend without the jury reaching a verdict. They were then instructed by Gildea to return to court Monday morning at 10:30 a.m. to continue deliberations.
In total, the jury deliberated for five days.
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