Pastor acquitted of all charges in sex assault case

After a weeklong trial and three days of deliberation, a jury Thursday acquitted Pastor Billy McCurdy of charges he sexually assaulted two men over a four-year period.

McCurdy, the longtime pastor of Revival Temple Church of God in Christ, maintained his innocence and testified that the sexual acts alleged by the two victims never happened.

"Grateful for the truth. I didn't do those things, and these young men had a vendetta because if anybody is immoral, they are," the 60-year-old said after the verdict.

The pastor choked up as he thought about daughter Tieshia McCurdy, who died in August 2011 after he was charged.

"The pressure of this case caused her demise," he said.

He then thanked his church parishioners for their support throughout the case.

The jury found him not guilty of six counts of sexual assault and five counts of open and gross lewdness.

Prosecutors alleged McCurdy used Scripture and influence to manipulate the two men into having sex with him. They argued McCurdy was able to "overbear" their will to resist so that, while they submitted to the sex acts, they were not willing participants.

McCurdy's lawyers poked holes in the testimony of the victims and showed one victim had been convicted of two felonies.

The lawyers noted that the other victim, following McCurdy's arrest, publicly retracted that a sexual assault occurred but later changed his mind and agreed to testify against McCurdy.

There just wasn't enough evidence, said juror Scott Derranger after the verdict.

There were only two jurors who felt strongly that a crime had been committed, but they agreed prosecutors did not have enough evidence, Derranger said.

At least one juror felt both accusers were lying, he said.

Defense lawyer Garrett Ogata said the verdict was vindication for McCurdy.

"He didn't do it. Bottom line. And he got his vindication," Ogata said.

Defense lawyer Michael Troiano added that even if the allegations were true, it wasn't criminal because the men were consenting adults.

Prosecutor Parker Brooks said he respected the jury's decision and appreciated how hard and long they worked to reach the verdict.

McCurdy has faced similar charges.

In 2005, McCurdy was charged with groping a teenage boy, but the district attorney's office declined to prosecute him because of conflicting evidence in the case concerning the alleged victim.