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Judge declares mistrial in sexual assault case
FAIRFIELD — A weeklong jury trial for a man who faces a pair of sexual assault charges ended Friday with jurors deadlocked and the judge declaring a mistrial.
Sidney M. Gomez is accused of sexually assaulting an unconscious and intoxicated woman – two separate charges.
Jurors voted 11-1 for a not-guilty verdict on one of the felony charges and 9-3 for a not-guilty verdict for the other charge.
Gomez will remain behind bars at least until Wednesday, when prosecutors are likely to announce whether they intend to pursue a second trial against Gomez.
After the mistrial, several jurors shared their concern about the victim changing descriptions of the sexual assaults.
Gomez’ defense attorney, Deputy Public Defender John Mendenhall, had emphasized how prosecutors had dropped certain felony charges and added others in response to the victim’s evolving version of events.
Mendenhall told jurors the variations in the victim’s story was proof that she was making false accusations.
Events in the hours before the alleged assaults that occurred on the night of Dec. 10, 2011, were undisputed. They included Gomez and the victim spending hours at bars and clubs in downtown Fairfield. The victim testified she blacked out at a Texas Street bar and had no memory of events until she was awakened in her bed at her Fairfield home as Gomez was having sex with her.
Reach Jess Sullivan at 427-6919 or jsullivan@dailyrepublic.net. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jsullivandr.
Jess Sullivan
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