PORT CLINTON — A woman accused of falsely reporting that a Put-in-Bay detective sexually assaulted her on two occasions was found not guilty of the crime by a visiting judge in Ottawa County on Wednesday.
Arica Waters, 29, of Lyndhurst, Ohio, was exonerated by retired Cuyahoga County Judge Janet Burnside for reporting to a Put-in-Bay police detective that another detective, Jeremy Berman, raped her after a party he hosted at his home on the night of July 5, 2020. She additionally reported that the following morning, Mr. Berman coerced her into having sexual intercourse again.
“I am not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt of each element of the offenses in this indictment,” Judge Burnside announced, just a half hour after closing arguments had concluded.
Prior to the start of testimony, Ms. Waters waived her right to a jury trial and requested a bench trial be held before Judge Burnside.
The judge clarified that it was not up for her to decide if the sexual activity between Mr. Berman and Ms. Waters was consensual — Mr. Berman testified Tuesday that they were consensual — but said she was instead tasked with deciding if Ms. Waters knowingly made a false report.
Amongst several deciding factors, Judge Burnside said she was “floored” when she learned Ms. Waters had not used the word rape in her initial report to Put-in-Bay Detective Amy Gloor. Instead, Ms. Waters used other words to express that she felt she was taken advantage of by Mr. Berman, which Judge Burnside said was...
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