SPRINGFIELD — A former Wittenberg University baseball player accused of sexually assaulting three female students was found not guilty of all charges.
The Clark County jury reached its not guilty verdict Wednesday evening after just more than two hours of deliberations in the trial of Frank Sullivan, 23.
Sullivan, who was acquitted of four counts of rape, two counts sexual battery, one count gross sexual imposition and one count attempted gross sexual imposition took the stand in his own defense in the final day of his trial.
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Sullivan repeatedly called himself “persistent” in trying to get the women to have sexual contact with him and said he sometimes didn’t stop requesting sex until the women rejected him multiple times. He also told the jury he listened to the women and stopped any sexual advances when they said, “No.”
The two-day trial wrapped up with closing arguments Wednesday.
The case involves three former female classmates at Wittenberg University in Springfield, who alleged they were sexually assaulted by him separately between August 2015 through March 2016.
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The allegations of sexual assault range from forceful touching to digital penetration, according to court records.
In cross-examination of Sullivan while he was on the stand, Clark County Assistant Prosecutor Lisa Hoying challenged his claims that he stopped his sexual advances when the women asked him to.
“So we’re supposed to believe that everyone here except for you is lying?” Hoying said.
In closing arguments Hoying told the jury they should remember one thing in all of the accusations against Sullivan: “No means no.”
“No does not mean being persistent,” Hoying said.
Defense attorney Scott Croswell told the seven women and five men of the jury they should only find Sullivan guilty of each crime if the trial proved it beyond a reasonable doubt.
“To convict Frank Sullivan on the fogginess of this evidence would not be justice,” Croswell said.
Sullivan isn’t a current student, Wittenberg leaders said Tuesday.
Throughout the trial it was revealed a secret society called the Gnomes on Wittenberg’s campus played a part in the alleged sexual assaults, as well as alcohol and marijuana use.
The defense argued that each woman had inconsistencies in their stories and their claims are uncorroborated.
Evidence included text messages that included Sullivan asking some of the victims for nude photos and other sexual advances.
Sullivan was indicted by a Clark County grand jury in the case in April. Since then he has been able to stay out of jail without bond on the conditions that he surrender his passport, submit a DNA sample to Springfield police and not have any contact with his accusers.
