8-28-2009 Florida:
Another sign of the pressures those facing these types of charges. Many need help because they are overwhelmed knowing what they will face if convicted.
A rape suspect commits suicide before hearing he was found not guilty.
Thursday afternoon, 57-year-old William Evans was found dead in his St. Augustine home from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
He faced charges for a sexual battery he was accused of committing against a young girl in the early 1980s. The alleged victim is now an adult and pursued the charges with the State Attorney's Office.
Evans was arrested in 2004 and was in a St. Johns County courtroom to hear the verdict today. The judge allowed a recess before the verdict, and during that time, Evans went to his residence in the 100 block of Stokes Landing. Investigators with the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office say Evans committed suicide during that time.
As the judge allowed the verdict to be read, he sent deputies to check on Evans. As they found Evans' body near the balcony of his home, the jury found him not guilty.
The Medical Examiner's will confirm the cause of death. Foul play is not expected, but investigators are not excluding any possible causes. ..Source.. by Tiffany Griffith
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