An Illinois man accused of sexually assaulting a fellow inmate has been found not guilty in Washington County District Court. 42-year-old Rudolph Darnell Edwards was charged with third degree sexual assault in connection to an incident that occurred on July 16th, 2011 at the Washington County Jail. The jury began deliberations Thursday morning and gave their verdict this afternoon at around 2:45.

Defense Attorney Jeffrey Powell says he’s happy with the verdict, and understands this was a difficult decision for the jury. Washington County Attorney Larry Brock, who represented the State, agrees that it wasn’t an easy verdict to come to, judging by the amount of time the jury spent deliberating.