Bath man acquitted
BY JOHN ZICK GATEHOUSE MEDIA

BATH - A 21-year-old Bath man accused of forcibly raping a woman last year in Campbell was acquitted last week in Steuben County Court.

A jury found Justin M. Nichols not guilty after a brief deliberation. He was charged with firstdegree rape, which is punishable by up to 25 years in state prison.

Nichols, who spent 11 months in jail awaiting trial, said he is upset he was charged.

"There are just a lot of things that were done wrong," he said Monday, May 12.

Assistant District Attorney Brooks Baker called the case "difficult."

"This was a case that came down, basically, to the allegations of one witness... the testimony of just one witness," Baker said. "There was no physical evidence in this case. (The jury) wanted it, we couldn't give it to them. The jury put a lot of hard work into their verdict. Clearly what was found was we couldn't meet our burden of proof."

Nichols said he may explore legal action against police and the district attorney's office for what he claims was misconduct.

Baker said Nichols' claims are not supported by evidence or fact.