He admitted to the court in sworn testimony that he'd had a sexual relationship with a 14 year old girl, but today an accused sex offender walked out of the Supreme Court free and clear, after a jury found him not guilty. A jury of 6 women and three men deliberated for two and a half hours before declaring 30 year old body works man Dionicio Howard not guilty of unlawful carnal knowledge.
Howard told the court that the child had lied to him about her age, when she told him she was 17. Still, he admitted under cross examination that the girl's mother had warned him the she was young, but he claims she never said how young. The two had a relationship from the summer of 2003 when Howard was 28 but they did not start having sexual relations until she dropped out of school a few months later. He told the court that he didn't know her age until police arrested him in September. The girl, now 17 is expecting. The case was prosecuted by Marjorie Moyston and Justice Michelle Arana presided.
