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Jury finds Mateen Cleaves not guilty in sexual assault trial

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FLINT, Mich. (WXYZ) — A jury has found former Michigan State University basketball star Mateen Cleaves not guilty on all counts in a sexual assault trial.

The jury was given instructions around 1:30 p.m., and delivered a verdict less than three hours later.

The trial comes four years after the sexual assault allegations against Cleaves.

In September 2015, a woman accused him of sexual assault, telling investigators that she met Cleaves at a charity golf outing and then sexually assaulted inside a Flint-area motel.

Cleaves was charged with unlawful imprisonment, assault and three counts of criminal sexual conduct.

In December 2016, a judge dismissed all charges against Cleaves, saying she believed the accuser willingly accompanied Cleaves to that motel. Then, in 2017, a circuit court judge said the lower court judge "abused her discretion of power," and reinstated the charges against Cleaves.

Last year, the Michigan Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal.