Everett Sheppard : N.J. man charged with fatally assaulting 9-month-old is found not guilty

Everett Sheppard, 25, who was charged with murder and sexual assault in the Oct. 17, 2008 killing of Victoria Madison, was found not guilty on all counts.

In a stunning verdict, Everett Sheppard has been acquitted of all charges of beating to death and sexually assaulting a 9-month-old child.

NJ.com reports;

The verdict, after just four hours of deliberation over two days, was met with surprise and visible disgust by several of the police detectives and Essex County Prosecutor’s Office investigators who were in the courtroom, and who had been on the case. Two of Victoria’s relatives sobbed as the verdict was read, then left the court without comment.

No one from Everett Sheppard’s family was in court for the verdict although several relatives had attended the week-long trial. Sheppard was escorted back to jail, where he is expected to be released.

At least two female jurors walked out of the courtroom wiping away tears; a third looked at Sheppard as she left and wished him good luck.

Sheppard was charged with killing Victoria while the child’s mother, his girlfriend at the time, was out of the house getting lunch from Burger King. The mother, Sheila Troutman, testified at trial that the baby had been healthy when she left the house that day, but when she returned, Victoria was unconscious. An autopsy revealed bruises and fractures about her body and head, and clear indications of sexual assault.

Everett Sheppard confessed to the crime in a videotaped statement, which his lawyer said was coerced by police investigators. — NJ.COM