Jury finds man not guilty of sexually abusing girl

NEW BOSTON, Texas - A Bowie County jury returned a verdict of not guilty this week for a man accused of sexually abusing a young girl.

Ricky Beckom walked out of the Bowie County courthouse a free man Thursday after spending about two-and-a-half years in the Bowie County jail on a charge of continuous sexual abuse of a child. Beckom and his brother, Greggory Beckom, were both charged in the case.

Greggory Beckom pleaded guilty in November and is currently serving a 15-year term. The girl, who is now a teen, made an outcry of abuse when she was 14 that both brothers abused her when she approximately six years old and a regular visitor at their home.

Texarkana lawyer Joe Tyler, who represented Ricky Beckom along with Texarkana lawyer Shorty Barrett, said the jury was out less than 30 minutes before returning with a verdict of not guilty. Tyler said the jury was shown a video recording of Ricky Beckom with investigators during which he repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

"On behalf of Mr. Beckom, I would like to thank the jurors for their service and attentiveness to the facts of this case. Two of the basic tenets of our judicial system are the presumption of innocence of the defendant, and the state's burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt," Tyler said. "The jury in this case upheld those tenets and our judicial system worked as it is intended."

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