A former Virginia Tech football player accused of killing a man who gave him oral sex has been set free by a Virginia jury.
The Roanoake Times reports that Isimemen Etute — who claimed he’d been duped into thinking the man he later killed was a woman —was acquitted of second-degree murder after a trial that lasted three days. Jurors were told Etute killed Jerry Paul Smith in self-defense after the two of them became involved in an altercation after the defendant learned of Smith’s gender.
Seasoned defense attorney Jimmy Turk told reporters the not guilty verdict was “one of the proudest moments” of his 36-year career. He also called the dead man’s actions “evil.”
