Watterson found 'not guilty' of rape
EMILY BONSANT | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 6 months AGO
Boundary County Courthouse.
Photo By CYNTHIA BONSANT
I have deep North Idaho roots and graduated from Eastern Washington University with an English degree with a creative writing emphasis with a minor in film. I worked at at the Bonner County Daily Bee before coming to work at the Bonners Ferry Herald in August 2021. I enjoy writing for the paper that my great-grandfather read and covering the same small town community that is still alive today. I cover all things Badger sports, local politics and government, community news, business, outdoors and appear on the 7Bee podcast for the Herald's update. When I'm not working I can be found reading a good book and sipping tea, knitting or attempting to sign opera. | September 14, 2023 1:00 AM
BONNERS FERRY — A jury found a Sandpoint man not guilty Wednesday on a charge of rape after a three-day jury trial.
Brandon Michael Watterson, 41, was charged for an alleged incident involving a teenage victim that took place in November or December 2019, when she was 14 years old.
The alleged victim had already taken Watterson to court for child enticing in 2021, in which he received a plea agreement and instead the charge of injury to a child in Bonner County. He has since served his time.
In 2022, the alleged victim then told officials that Watterson had raped her, but that she had not recovered the memory until recently.
After deliberating for approximately two hours, the jury unanimously found Watterson not guilty of the rape charge.
A full article on the jury trial will be available online and in next week’s edition of the Herald.
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