UPDATE — Sexual assault trial ends in hung jury after accusations in Orangefield, Groves
Published 6:00 pm Thursday, May 18, 2023
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
BEAUMONT — The trial of a 41-year-old area man on a charge of continuous sexual assault of a child ended in a hung jury this week, authorities said.
The trial for Michael Lawrence Pousson, a transient of Southeast Texas, was held in Judge Raquel West’s Beaumont court, with Tatiana Zelezniak prosecuting the case and Laurie Perozzo as the defense attorney, according to information from the court.
The trial began May 8, and the jury was asked to give a unanimous verdict of guilty or not guilty.
The jury did not come to a unanimous decision, resulting in a hung jury. In this case, the jury voted 9 to 3 in favor of guilt.
Pousson remains in the Jefferson County Correctional Facility. A new trial date has not been set as of Friday morning.
Pousson was indicted for continuous sexual assault of a child Jan. 26, 2022, for alleged assaults that took place on or about Nov. 14, 2018, to on or about Aug. 17, 2021.
The alleged victim was younger than 14-year-old at the time.
According to the probable cause affidavit, a child made an outcry to an adult. The child was later brought to the Garth House for a forensic interview and told of being sexually assaulted more than 15 times over a period of three years.
The child alleged some of the incidents occurred while living in Orangefield and some while living in Groves.
— Written by Mary Meaux