Key legal question
Whether the acquittal for rape and sexual coercion had to be overturned for arbitrary appraisal of evidence.
Extracted holding
The prosecution did not show arbitrariness in the appellate court’s assessment of the evidence; the acquittal stands.
Extracted reasoning
The appellate court could consider the complainant’s incomplete recollection, the conflicting statements of the parties, the minor injuries, and her sexual orientation without violating federal law. The prosecution’s arguments largely amounted to a different, but not compelling, interpretation of the evidence.