Rosemary Latrice Newsome, 28, was found not guilty Wednesday in connection with the Aug. 14 shooting death of James Heard.
A 12-person jury at the Lee County Justice Center deliberated for roughly 90 minutes Wednesday afternoon before returning to the courtroom with a verdict.
Newsome was indicted for murder by a Lee County grand jury in November in the shooting death of Heard, 57. Heard, who Newsome claims was her common law husband, was shot in August 2007 at the Beauregard residence they shared.
Opening arguments in the murder trial started Monday afternoon after a 14-person jury - 10 white and four black - was selected that morning. A state medical examiner was one of eight witnesses called by the state Monday. Dr. Stephen Boudreau said Heard was shot six times, including once in the head at close range.
Newsome's attorney Jerry Hauser said the state Department of Forensic Sciences analyzed Newsome's clothes and neither gunshot residue nor blood spatter were found. In his opening statements, Lee County Chief Assistant District Attorney David Glanzer said he intended to use cell phone records to prove Newsome's guilt.
Witnesses Tuesday included Jeffrey Gray, the man Newsome is legally married to, and Reginald A. Core, the 18-year-old Newsome has said committed the crime.
Newsome took the stand Wednesday in her own defense. She continued to maintain her innocence.
For more on this story, check back with www.oanow.com or pick up Thursday's edition of the Opelika-Auburn News.
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