Defendant Faced Up to 50 Years in Prison
MANTEO — A Dare County jury today returned a unanimous not-guilty verdict for a Columbia man charged with First-Degree Forcible Rape and Forcible Sexual Offense, clearing him of allegations that carried a maximum exposure of approximately 50 years in prison.
The defendant, Jamarious Owens, was represented at trial by Patrick L. Sellers of Edenton. The jury deliberated for approximately four hours before returning its verdict in Dare County Superior Court before the Honorable Judge Lamont Wiggins.
“This verdict is a powerful reminder that the presumption of innocence still means something in our courts,” said Sellers. “My client has maintained his innocence from day one, and 12 Dare County citizens — after hearing all of the evidence — agreed unanimously that the State did not come close to meeting its burden. He can finally go home to his family and begin to put his life back together.”