OKLAHOMA
KSWO
[with video]
LAWTON, Okla._The Lawton pastor accused of performing lewd acts in front of a teenager at church was found not guilty Tuesday afternoon.
The verdict marks the end of a long wait for Bobby Burrell who has been under investigation since October of 2012 for the accusations. His accuser claimed Burrell took him to his church, showed him porn, and then began to touch himself in front of him.
After the verdict came back it was jubilation for the friends and family members of Burrell, who from the get go, stood by his side saying this isn’t something he would do. Burrell admitted to masturbating in the church, but said it was never in front of his accuser. He said his accuser, instead, walked in on him when he was doing the act in the church’s bathroom. His attorney said morally he made a mistake, but now he is innocent.
“The jury vindicated him, and the jury indicated he did not do anything wrong. He’s innocent, and he is a free man, and that is it,” said his attorney, Jason Lowe.
Lowe said the verdict of not guilty all came down to the law and not what is morally wrong or right. “Masturbation is not a crime. He never masturbated in front of the young man, it’s not a crime. Pornography is not a crime and I think the jury realized and followed the law.”
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