Jury acquits man in sexual assault case
May 24—MANKATO — A jury recently acquitted a Plymouth man who had been accused of sexual assault in Blue Earth County in 2019.
Michael Jimmy Hunter II, 25, was found not guilty April 29, according to court documents. He had been facing three felonies for burglary, third-degree criminal sexual conduct, fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct and a gross misdemeanor for fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct.
The charges stem from a woman's March 2019 accusations of Hunter sexually assaulting her in Mankato.
A press release from Hunter's lawyer, Patrick Casey of the Knutson + Casey law firm, states a petition to expunge the case from his record was filed this month and is expected to be granted.
"After a three-day trial where all the evidence was presented to the jury, Mr. Hunter was exonerated," the release states. "Hunter maintains that he was invited to the house by his friend after a night out on the town, that the physical interaction between himself and his friend was entirely consensual, and that they did not actually have intercourse."
Expungement would close the court file and all records of the case. The court hearing for it is set for Aug. 23.
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