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Ex-Leesburg cop tells woman's family to 'move on' after rape acquittal

LEESBURG, Fla. — A former Leesburg police officer accused of sexual battery on a woman he was taking to jail has been found not guilty.

Jurors heard closing arguments from state prosecutors and Henri Larue's defense team Friday.

The woman cried as the verdict was read and later said she feels like all of her testimony and everything she's been through was for nothing.

"I was raped by this man and he's let free to do it to someone else, and that's the whole thing I was trying to prevent," the woman said through tears after the trial.

Larue said he wasn’t surprised by the verdict. When asked what he would say to the woman's family, he replied, "Move on."

State prosecutors used a video and still shots to try to convince a jury that Larue pulled into a dark alley as he was taking the victim to jail and then forced her to perform sex acts.

Their case hindered on the victim's DNA that was found around the zipper of the former officer's pants.

Timestamps show Larue's trip to the jail took nearly double the amount of time that it should have.

On recorded conversations with dispatch, Larue is heard joking about making a "pit stop" and flirting after the alleged rape.

"She was under arrest. She was in cuffs, under complete mercy of the defendant. She told you she could feel his breath on the back of her neck," said Assistant State Attorney Rich Buxman.

But defense attorney Robert Whittel said, "The evidence just does not add up and the time, just not possible."

The defense tried to hammer away at the prosecution's timeline.